Jaguar Nights
by Like an Outlaw Baby
Summary: Zowie Excel leads a normal life as a young woman, until one late night she crashes her car, rescued by a man who comes to haunt her. Who is he? And can she hide away the passion she holds for this person she knows nothing of?
1. Dead To The World 1

: A/N: Hiii this story's all mine. Plot, characters, ect. So on blah blah. Please be kind, rewind. Don't steal. xD I do realize there are probably a few bad mistakes here and there, or you know everywhere. But I do have a life, -cough- Honest. I do. And/or I am too lazy to go back and correct them. Either or really. -shrug- Alrighty then, you know the drill. Tell me if you like it, don't if you don't. I think I'm going to continue this one, I swear. xD And on with the show::

Dead To The World.

Chapter one:

I rubbed my eyes warily, 2 a.m. and I was exhausted. The rain pounded down on my windshield like great waves, dancing with the wind to shake and push on my small Honda. I wove past a ripped branch on the backroads of dark and damp Mississippi highway, the dark woods practically swallowing up the small almost non-existent back road like it were nothing. I squinted my eyes through all the rain, leaning forward to try and get a better view of where I was driving.

"This is insane." I whispered to myself, fading my booming Perfect Circle to the back of my speakers. Trying to concentrate on not hitting any on coming animals or strays.

My hip suddenly vibrated, then the all-too-familiar ringtone filled the front of the car, clashing with my booming bass. I groaned, looking down at the small illuminated screen of my flip-phone.

"Don't you people ever leave me alone?" I rolled my eyes, realizing how completely and utterly tired I really was. Until the vibrating started up again.  
"Damnit!" I reached for my phone, turned it on with an angry hello. My boss. Great.

"Tommorow? C'mon Bill I've been working days, everyone's shift. You're going to have to give me the day off you promised. No! No I'm not taking her shift again! Grow some balls and fire her." Click. I wasn't dealing with him again. I saw him more than I even saw my apartment bedroom. Seeing him meant work, I even avoided him if by chance I caught him in the grocery store. Five minutes talking to him about the wheather would turn into 'Could you come to work tommorow?' And of course, Zowie Excel was on it-

I gasped, swerving to miss the lone deer that trotted into the middle of the street. You know in the movies, how time seems to slow, and you can see every little action inside your mind, even in the other's? That's not how it felt. One minute I saw a flash of brown fur and the next my head plastered itself to the front of the dashboard.

I tried to move my right arm, but it was tangled in my seat belt, which was ripped in half . . . how did that happen? I was lifted. 'I'm lifting . . . out of the car.' My head moved slowly up to look through the onslaught of rain to find a blurry face. I turned toward the street, wishing I hadn't done that so fast.

"The deer . . . did I hit the deer?" I asked, my voice sounding rough and raspy, nothing like mine. The man didn't answer, so I shoved at his chest to put me down. He didn't. This angered me. I looked up at him through squinted eyes.

"Did you save the damned deer, too?" I asked, angrily. Okay, I was in a car accident. My car was probably totalled . . . but I had insurance. And if I was lucky enough, I probably wouldn't have to go into work for a couple of days and I would still get payed. I felt alright, besides the feeling of the world bouncing around me, while I tried to bounce with it. Does that make sense? I didn't think so either. He said something but I didn't really catch it, everything was swaying. It was giving me a bad headache, on top of the headache I had of taking bar orders. Yeah, on top of that headache. Well, at least I was thinking logically. Work, deer, car, pay, head. Everything was alright. Oh, and the man. Him too.

"Well?" I asked, realizing suddenly that my toes weren't touching the ground. I looked from the ground to the sky, finding his face. Or as much as I could see of him.

He had black hair from what I could see, black hair even blacker than mine. If that were even possible. It stuck to his glossy skin and neck, thinking of his skin, it reminded me of a petal on a Magnolia. Not pale as in freshly fallen snow, but soft. Like a touch of sun kissed.

"I . . . like your skin." I said slowly, my eyes skipping his face features as I found his chest. Oh Dear . . .  
Thick and broad would explain his shoulders perfectly, now his chest. Hmm, let me think of how to explain. I didn't know why he had no shirt on, but I didn't really care. For some unknown reason his thick chest reminded me of breast plate armor. The kind that the Gladiators wore in Rome. You know, the hats with the brooms on top? His arms held me up, which were probably the size of my thighs. He wasn't massive, or overly muscled. More like I-work-everyday-of-my-life muscles. Not something you get just by the gym. Natural is a good word.

"Thank you." I watched his chest as he said it, as it rumbled with the effort to talk against the rain and wind. For some strange reason I wanted to feel his chest, to see if the muscle underneath was as hard as it looked. I put my small hand against one of his small pale nipples. Yes, it was really hard. He actually jumped, which I would have also, but I felt drugged. And my head now felt like a concert bass was going on inside. It made me close my eyes and try to concentrate on my breathing. Which I couldn't even hear through all the noise around us.

I opened my eyes, greeted by his face this time, he must have lifted me higher.  
"If really is hard." I said, dazed as to what I was saying and doing. Don't get me wrong, if I were in my right mind I would have checked him out, but I also would have scowled the strange to find a shirt. In the middle of the woods. On a backroad. Two a.m.. My head dissapeared from my worries as my eyes grew large. I put my hand against his collar-bone, giving a weak attempt at a push.

"Put me down." I said, now realizing exactly what the hell I was doing. Or was about to maybe happen. Where the fuck did my cell phone go anyways? Shitshitshit. My hands landed against his hips in an attempt to squirm away. Suddenly I stopped squirming, letting my hand slide farther down his hip, V-lines, high thigh. Jesus.

"Oh my God." I said in a squeeky voice that deffinitely wasn't mine. "You're naked." It felt like I couldn't move, my body refused. I finally realized I was scared, which pissed me off. My anger always chased away all other emotions, especially one's like fear. I glared up at him through my almond shaped brown eyes. Not even bothering to push my hip-length black hair out of my face.

"You rape me, I'll have the best goddamned attourney on your ass in minutes babe." I said with a smirk, but underneath my heart beat against my bones like a chained animal in a cage. I could even hear the blood rushing in my ears, pushing against my ear drums. I licked my lip and found that it was busted . . . was I hurt? I felt alright, a little slow, but steady. I had my thoughts, which was what I needed most.

My thoughts ended there as he laughed down at me. A rich laughter, the kind you want to reach out and brush. Thick enough to walk on. I just. . . couldn't be angry. It was too, what's the word, joyous?

He set me down on my feet, almost immediately I fell to my knees, my head giving a heavy lurch forward.  
"Jesus." I said, holding it tightly. I looked to my right, while the wind whipped at my face. My eyes widened as I got to my feet. The man touched my shoulder.

" I need to get you out of here." He said, voice raised to be heard through the roaring wind and rain. I pushed past him as I ran slowly and unsurely down the highway. The deer...

I got to my knees, trying to find its pulse.  
"I can't believe I did this." I said in a faraway tone. It's stomach was completely ripped open, the organs sprayed across the highway like a Pacaso painting. One horn was ripped away to land somewhere not too far off. It's skull looked caved in on one side. I covered my mouth with my hand as I watched pale gleaming feet come close, but I didn't look up.

It sickened me I did this to an animal. But I didn't mean to, but did it really matter? No, I'd done it, that's what mattered. You can't change what's already done. A hard fact I'd learned many times before this, and didn't doubt many times after this.

"It's dead." He said in a deep growly voice. I hovered my hands above it's head as I kneeled over it. My side gave a screaming protest, but it didn't stop me.

"What are you doing?" He asked, kneeling down. I kept my eyes closed and my hands positioned as I said a prayer for the animal.

"Praying." I said softly. And that's exactly what I did, and at the end I asked for forgiveness. I didn't enjoy hurting things, or vise versa. It ripped my heart open to see these things. I couldn't even watch the news, it was filled with horrible pictures and news broadcasts that I didn't like dwelling over when I went to go to sleep. I had enough problems of my own; although I did always watch the commercials with the children in Africa. I felt so terrible for always over-eating at the buffet. Or not liking my hamburger because it had too much ketchup on it. I always sent my tips to the mailing address they gave you. They needed it more than I did.

"You're bleeding." I heard his voice as I opened my eyes, but when I tried to focuse on him the world jumped. And I landed on my side looking down the long empty highway, praying that no one would drive by going 90 out of the blue. I tried to make myself get up, but my eyes were so heavy, and my mind seemed to turn to sludge. I felt his arms slip under my shoulders, so my head could be cradled against his chest. His other arm under the bend of my knees, bridal style.

"What's your name?" He asked, as I watched a huge sheet of black hair curtain his face from the rain so I could look up at his solemn expression without rain in the way. I watched the rise and fall of his defined and muscled chest from below, the hard carve of his jaw when he spoke. The soft full-lipped, pale and pouted smile he gave me, warm brown eyes to soften his hard warrior-like features.

"Zowie. Zowie Excel." I said, my voice drifting and my eyes closing as I rubbed my cheek against his stomach, finding his stomach even harder than his chest.

"You smell . . . like my cat." I said softly, not even hearing myself as my words fell into the raging storm, drifting off with the wind to blow over the tops of the trees and higher into the sky as I was carried away unconcious.


	2. Dead To The World 2

: A/N: I promise in later chappies, you get to see that beautiful man again. -growls- Sorry this one's so short, I'll try to make the others more lengthy or whatever. It depends on how much food I have at the desk . . . if I have to get up or go drive to get more they may be very very short. -shrug- We'll type with the way of the Oreo. 3 :

Dead To The World  
Chapter two:

The day after that exhausting night I woke in the local hospital. They'd said a nurse had walked outside and found me past out and bleeding in a stray wheelchair. I told them about the man, they said it was only me. I asked them why they took me in, they said I'd been bleeding internally. I told them I felt fine after the accident, they said I was delirious. I believed them.

I had to stay in the hospital for a few nights, then left. Managing to stare down the small doctor with eyes filled with rage if he didn't let me out of that damned place. Calling in two nurses to assist him put me back in bed, I pushed past. He finally let me, after I'd practically made bomb threats.

Finally I was at home, resting with 'Get Well Balloons' and flowers filling my kitchen with the smell of a Nursery. I didn't love flowers, but anything to destract the overly-smell of cleanliness following me from the overly-clean hospital. I cuddled in my once-in-a-lifetime purcahse of fake black fur blanket. A whole whopping one hundred and ten dollars.

I didn't and never would have the heart to buy the real thing, even if I did have the money. Don't get me wrong, I eat meat and everything. But I could never hunt an animal then eat it. In fact if I ever worked at a butcher shop I'd probably never be able to eat meat again. But as they say, ignorance is bliss. That's the way I liked to keep it.

As I was saying, curled up in a tight ball as I watched some blockbuster's with one of my few and only best friend's. Samantha and Elizabeth, they also brought my other two best friends. Ben and Jerry, whom were my bestest friends and husbands when I needed them, and I did now.

Knowing that when I'd asked my friends to bring the ice-cream, they figured something else was wrong-besides the car accident. They were right. I couldn't get the guy out of my head, it was nearly impossible to concentrate on even one of my favorite movies. "Werewolf In Paris" was at the end and I hadn't even noticed it while I stared at it.

My friends were ingrossed in some conversation about their husbands and Elizabeth's news of her pregnancy, I tried to look like I cared. How horrible right? Don't get me wrong, of course I cared. But I could barely show it, they only thought I still felt uneasy. They were right.

I remember the feel of his chest under my fingertips, the beat of his heart. I remember now that he had long hair, probably longer than mine. I've never seen a man with hair that long, not ever. And his skin color was unusual, and why in the world was he naked? In the middle of the highway at 2 a.m.. Maybe he was some man on Meth or some kind of drug? I didn't know. I wish I didn't care. My eyes wandered from the credits to my large second story window. I watched the rain with awe, the windows were cracked open, just how I liked them when it rained. It filled the room with the scent of old flowers and fresh water. My see-through white curtains danced with the small promise of breeze every other few seconds.

/Zowie./

I stared at the window in awe. My large hazel eyes burning holes through the peaceful calmness I had moments ago. My name, was I only thinking it? I didn't realize I was thinking of my own name. I rose slowly, letting the fake blanket of fur slide from my slippery black night pants. My bare feet practically floating across the bause carpet to the tiling of the window. I opened it more, letting the soft air gently blow back my long hair from my shoulders. I closed my eyes and breathed in the smell of fresh rain.

The clouds were dark, dampening and darkening the late afternoon sky. The sun couldn't see through all the different shades of grey, it was gentle to my skin. I shivered as small sprinkles fell onto my bare shoulders and arms. Lifting my face to the sky and I knelt inside the window-seat. I loved rainy days.

I let my hands flow through the many sheets of fabric I used for curtains, flowing through the silky see-through material. 'Where are you?' I thought to myself.

"Zow?" 'Who are you?'  
"Zowie?" I opened my eyes to the enormous window that took up almost the whole apartment wall. Turning my head, to push my onyx hair from my shoulder.  
"Yes?" I asked quietly. Lizzy and Sam came by my side, laying a hand on mine and my shoulder.  
"Come away from the window, it's raining." I turned back to the window, to look out of it through the light hale of wind and rain. There was a black paved road that swooped around to the only and other large building that was our apartment complex. There were only two buildings because it was more of a house per person. A small porch and yard in front with the spikey metal fences, with ivy and everything. I loved it. Beyond the other baush complex, complete with neatly cut yards and executive cars was woods. A thick black wall of trees, with lush green tops barred what was beyond that thick underbrush of different plants and trees of the Mississippi.   
"Sweety it's raining, you'll catch a cold."  
"I know." I said slowly, my eyes searching the woods for nothing in particular. Or nothing I knew what I was looking for, at least. I could see at the corner of my eyes that my friends turned to look at one another.

The hot silence was cut through when Lizzy's horrible ringtone hit the heavyness of the air. I hated Michelle Branch. Her face lit up as she clicked it open, "I've got to run, James is picking out the crib today." She laid a glossed red lipped kiss against my cheek, hugging me around the waiste.

"I love you Zowie girl, call me if you need absolutely anything." I turned to her with faraway eyes, my brows burrowed as I searched her simple pretty face. I let the strain fall from my face, losing the lost look. I smiled as her face brightened at my first reaction since I accepted their ice-cream.

"I am so happy for you, and your baby Lizzy. Have fun." I said turning back to look through the window. I didn't have to look at her to know the smile faded and the worry returned full force. But Elizabeth was the type of person who waited for you to come to her, not to push and pry. It's what I liked about her the most. I didn't confide in her alot, but when I did, she always seemed to sympathize and understand. She was the mother I never had. She'd be the world's greatest Mom one day. Minny Van bumper sticker and all. Which wouldn't be too far off in the future from her large stomach which she was caressing unknowingly. She nodded, and left with a brush of her hand against my back reasuringly.

"What's up Zowie babe, something's not right." Sam was the younger of us. We'd been together since highschool, the lot of us. She was the more-party carefree friend. Lizzy wasn't the type to go out and get wild, but she'd always of been the chaffeur. She'd never admit in her entire life that she in fact 'did' party like an animal, only was the one responsible enough to drive us all home without alchol in her system. She claimed it wasn't the appearance a future Mother and current wife needed to have for her reputation. And persisted we say she never partied, which we agreed with a shrug and a smile.

"Nothing." I said, turning towards her as she plopped down on my large leather couch.

"You're acting strange, more strange than usual. You won't confide in Mommy Dearest and I'm not asking for you to confide in me. But, I don't know. You're scaring me." She said as she gave me honest-to-God baby blues. I walked towards her, plopping down beside her with a giggle and a push to her shoulder. She smiled some, but still said, "No seriously. Tell me what's wrong, no hiding." I let the smile fade around the edges as I stood up to face the wall.

"Let's go out." I said without looking down at her. I heard her sigh, which weighed down on my heart. I cared about her like she were my own. I didn't want to hurt her feelings, but this one was between me and God. I looked down at her suddenly, smiling brightly.

"Let's go out." I said again, kneeling down to look at her, giving her pouty lips and big puppy eyes. She smiled and shook her head.

"Oh c'mon, please, please, please-oh-please Sammy babe. You know you want to. Haven't been out with your friends because one's pregnant and the other's dying." She rolled her eyes and glared at me.

"Fine, got some clothes I can wear?" I squeeled and jumped in her lap, laughing as she wrestled me off of her. She stood up with a brush of her wild red hair, glaring down at me mischeviously as she gave me her hand. I smiled, grabbing it to get up.

"Oh course I do." I said with a flash of teeth to mirror her mischeviousness.


	3. Dead To The World 3

: A/N: This one was inspired by Kerri Beary. Love you babe. I'd be so fat without you. Oh and by the by, it turns out I had food stashed away after all. -cackles- :

Dead To The World.  
Chapter three:

A whopping 45 minutes later we finally arrived at the bustling and busy city. We'd stopped at the first club, our favorite ever since we knew what fake-I.D's were.

"Jaguar Nights" was glowing with black cursive electric lights. It was busy and packed, as usual. It may have not been the smartest idea to come on a Saturday night, but I'd been in that damned hospital and house to make my fresh brown tan fade. I didn't really mind, seeing as the only reason I had it was because I was outside gardening almost every other day I wasn't working.

We started for the back of the line, before someone called out loudly for Sam. She turned in those pink pumps of hers, her extremely long white legs turning with a hardening of her calves that I didn't think I had. Her white smile widened as she bounced happily towards the bouncer with a squeel and a jump. Landing may I say very unladly like around his waiste. Parker. Her husband, I shook my head.

"I should've known you'd get a job here, why didn't you tell me?" She slapped his face hard, making him growl at her with a hard kiss to her pouty-cherry lips. Parker and Sam had been sweeties since highschool. Sam had always been the long haired, big boobed, tall girl with legs up to her neck. The kind of girl you wished you were. Parker had been the jock of a lifetime, popular and hot. Ever since grade school. His arms were probably as thick around as my waist, he was tall dark and handsome. Went to the gym every weekend, got jobs that let him use all those years in football and gymnasiums to work with. He flashed me a devilishly leg crimpling smile.

"Zowie." I would've probably had a crush on Parker when we were in middle school together, but the big-bad-I'm-going-to-break-your-neck muscles just weren't my thing. I gave him a smile a flip of hair greeting. People were griping behind us to get 'the fuck back in line'. Parker slowly put his tall and amazingly beautiful wife on her high slamming 5'11 heels. He walked back into the line, grabbing the man by the collar. Followed by the man's short and chunky partner.

"You say something to my wife?" The guy gave him large frightened eyes, shaking his head vigorously. Parker threw him back into the line, rolling my eyes at his testosterone. I didn't and couldn't see how Sam liked at that in a man. It only embarrassed and annoyed me, and as I knew she was smiling with both of those full lips, large baby-blues, and that million dollar smile. He walked back to her with a hand on my back and a kiss on her cheek. He wasn't as bad and tough when you got to know him, in fact when I 'did' finally get to know him I thought he was gay.

"You ladies go ahead, will I see you after my shift is done?" He asked, all that thick brown hair falling into his eyes. He looked at her with such a look that said "I don't love you because you're drop dead gorgeous, I love you because I'd drop dead for you." She returned the look with such love in her eyes that it made my throat tighten, making me look away.

"When does your shift end?" He grimaced, which looked strange for such a muscley drop-alive handsomeness.  
"I'm bouncin' till 4 a.m.." She frowned, "So long?" He smiled, pushing her perkily sprayed and tamed curls behind her ear, "Actually that's early. The club's open till eight a.m.. Joshs' got that shift, I practically begged the man for another time." She smiled and gave me pleading eyes.

"Can we wait for him?" I looked at her, then my cell phone. Damnit, it was only 10 o'clock. I winced, looking back at the couple. He had those huge tanned arms around her shoulders, their bodies close. She had her head turned towards me, his large hand cradling her blushed cheek, their honest faces turned towards me pleadingly. God I hated that.

"Why not?" I said with a grin that made me grind my teeth to keep it in place. They both smiled mirroring faces at me, "Great. Thanks Zowie, I'll buy dinner on me. Eer can I say breakfast?" He said with an appologetic scratch to his head. What a dunse. I smiled and rolled my eyes, "Fine fine fine, can you let us through or do we have to wait back there." I said without turning, pointing to my side at the never-ending-highway-blocking line of people. He smiled, unhooking the red velvet hook, "Ladies." He said with a smile meant only for that one woman he devoted his young life to. She returned it with all the love she could muster on her face. I hugged my arms insecurely thanking him quietly as we walked through the dark enterance.

The place was thriving with people, everywhere there was lights and sounds. I watched Sam's hips as they swayed half walking half dancing with everystep towards the bar. Her long red hair brushing those straight postured shoulders, I slowed through the thick amount of people almost breaking our chained hands, she finally slowed dragging me back against her back while she took the lead. I didn't really mind.

I listened as my screw-me leather black 4 inch heels clacked against the black tiled ground. My whole onsomble actually black, the short leather mini-skirt, the leather top complete with no shoulders, barely covering my C cups. I'm not saying I wasn't pretty, I'd been told that by both of my best friends. We were just all very pretty in our own ways. I was only 5'3, where as Sam was practically 5'11 to 5'12 with the right heels on. Lizzy was around 5'8, showing our different parts of 'pretty.' I had long virgin black hair that hung around my bottom, Sam had red hair that touched her shoulders whicher were slightly broad but strong. Lizzy had short high-maintenance blonde hair, kind of a working upper middle class cut. We were called the trio in High School. Since Samantha was all about the cheerleading squad, Elisabeth was the honest-to-God beautiful brainiac, and I was the artist. Best friends from 14 onto 20, Sam being the youngest 20. Me the middle 20, Lizzy the almost-21. Vula! The magic Trio.

My attention fell away as I realized she'd slammed and pushed her beautiful-way to the bar. Squinting at the harsh blinking lights illuminating the many-thousand bottles of different alchoholic beverages that I just knew Sam would induldge herself into before the night was even near finishing. She patted two black and broad shoulders, making them turn, they gave her the full look over and scooted aside with stupid grins. Where she shoved me beside her with a brush off for both the guys. I didn't know how she did it, but that was just Samantha for you.

She leaned both those C and half cups against the bar, catching the attention of all the eyes of the horrozontal bar. "Tommy!" She squeeled, reaching out for a hug from the short and lean gay bartender. Again, one of our own from Middle-school and on. He squeeled back ignoring the hundred demands for different drinks as he rushed over to us. I caught the scent of the new Victoria-Secrets Body Love Yourself scratch and sniff I'd induldged in while I was in the hospital. Should've known he'd be the first to get some, little bastard. I hugged him with just as much enthusiasm as he gave me, we'd bonded through the similiar groups of friends; and he'd been a living genious with a paintbrush, naturally we'd become best friends. He was like one of the girls.

"Samantha Darling, Zowie you're looking rather whorish this evening." He winked at the lot of us while I jokingly zipped up the zipper that had unjokingly found its couple-inch way down my breasts, exposing a tad more bit of cleavage than I'd originally intended.

"You homosexual bastard! What about me?" Sam asked with a pout, he growled at her touching her pouty bottom lip. "How could I forget you Dawlin', you're looking disgustingly beautiful this evening also." She giggled and asked for a drink. He straightened his back and raised his chin, "May I see your fake I.D. please?" He asked so seiorusly I thought he was actually seroius. Sam stood up so straight I knew without looking her boobs were bouncing with the bralessness that they were. She put her hand againt her forehead, standing at attention.

"I would sir! But you already know it is fake sir! Can I have a goddamned drink before I rip your Martha-Stuart butt loving frosted highlights out sir!" She said with a giggle threatening to escape those red china-doll lips. I turned back to Tommy, a dainty hand raised to attempt to cover the whole-hearted laughter that was coming out in choking breath. He smiled and pouted.

"You didn't have to mess with the hair. C'mon, you don't like it?" He turned back around, again dodging the angry glares and curses of the hundred different people, grabbing the drink she drank ever since highschool. Coke and Crown, extra Crown and a green slurpy straw. She was so strange at times. He reached under the bar and pulled out a long green gangly, child's straw. Plopping it in, "There ya go Darlin'." He said with a wink, she squeeled and took it happily. It'd dissapear in a bout two minutes. Or at least her third one would. He turned towards me, "I s'pose you don't have any hot chocolate huh?" I asked with a dramatic sigh. He laughed that laugh that had caught so many teenaged girls heart, I almost felt bad for him.

He looked at me through on fire green eyes, "I think we're out of hot-chocolate baby, but would a Shmernoff be alright with M'lady?" I laughed, again, my usual. I nodded as he plucked a bottle out of the ice box beside him, ripping off the top with the speed only a stripped/bartender would ever have. Oh, didn't I mention he was a stripper? My mistake. I giggled when he handed it back to me.

"I have to be off, lots of rude and ugly people wanting my attention." He sighed rolling his eyes, returning back to his work.

"Oh and Zowie girl?" He turned back around to face me, "A very important person is looking for you." He said with a sharp-witted smile. I looked at him strangely with a small gulp of Shmernoff, a little running down my lip as I brushed it away. "Who?" I asked curiously, he looked at me as if I were crazy, rolling his eyes he walked away returning back to his work.

I looked at him strangely along with Sam. "Are you supposed to know who?" She asked with the same burrowed brow theme as me. I shrugged and took another swallow. "Who cares?" I said, remembering why I had come in the first place. I grabbed her hand pulling her away from the bar, already a swarm of new people squeezing in to take our place. "Let's dance." I said, now me being the leader. I heard her 'whoo' behind me with that pure-woman voice she could always make when she was excited; as I half danced, half ran to the middle of the room. I spun around dramatically while she looked me up and down, raising a defined eyebrow, smiling that smile that had gotten her the hottest guys in High School, one of the winner's of her never ending man-list being Parker. He was definitely one of the winner's, she'd told me once before years ago.

She swayed her hips, tapping a random person on the shoulder, handing ,who actually turned out to be a him, her empty glass. Told you so. He looked her up and down and licked the glass. I practically wanted to gag, I'm pretty sure Samantha would have taken it as a compliment if she were watching him. But her eyes were all on me, made me feel squirmish to see that mouth-droping gaze on me. She swayed towards me with her blue-jean skirt to the extreme of low on those perfectly boney hips. Her white lace corset showing peeps of her pierced navel, we'd gotten it done together. Tonight it was adorned with a white fake jewel to match her top, a long metal chord falling into her worn jean-extra-extra-short skirt. Made me worry it would get ripped off.

She ran her fingers up my ribs, pushing extra hard on my breasts as she went up, looking down at me through the fall of professionally dyed red hair. I think her natural color was a deep auburn, believe it or not.

She laced one of her delicatly muscled thighs in between mine, parting my legs for her enterance. She always knew how to own the dance floor. Her 'moves' practically getting us kicked out of prom on our senior year. I always felt squeamish doing this with her in public, not because we were actually in public, but because she was so good at it it got so much attention for her efforts. Oh and not just her, the damned sexual attention was a double edged sword. Again, not saying that I wasn't pretty, but I just didn't give off as much, euphorameans as she did.

She practically bent in two to reach my neck, kissing along the long delicate length of it, reaching up to my ear, licking a wet and visually public line up to my jaw, lacing it with hot little kisses. I felt her perky breasts press forcefully against my-also-perkilly-braless ones. She was like a figure eight, me matching her, only becoming a smaller figure eight. One thing she was always, not jealous but more friendly envious, of me was my figure. She was tall and lean and curvous, but more althletically modelish type. I was shorter and tanner, a very small waist and very wide hips. She gloated over my much smaller weight, while I argued over her height giving her more weight. I didn't understand how she couldn't see her beauty, surely she did?

My attentions were ripped away as her mouth found its way down to my collar bone, joyously happy that she didn't actually kiss me, but extremely let-down from the new direction she'd found for herself along my body. Her hands pushed at my breats, making them plump up to practically shove at my collar bone. It was embarrassing to me, but practically off-the-charts to everyone else staring. They did the kind of look where they were barely an inch away, but watching every move we made, stealing some to use on their own sex-standing-up partners.

She yanked on my zipper as it came down completely and utterly willingly, parting it just enough to show the true-perkiness, letting them finally seperate a touch. From where they were constantly shoving together. The only reason I had the muscle in my stomach that I truelly did was because of my job, working as a bartender was not a sit-down kind of recreation, especially if it was a popular kind of scene place. And by all means was it. I breathed heavily as my hair tried to shield my body, but she yanked it back with a force that brought my head with it. I cried out weakly as the bass and music drowned out my weak attempt before it left my pale and pouted lips. I felt her tongue slide across my navel to suck on my plain spiked barbell that was my piercing. I tried to control my breathing as I stared up at the ceiling, reaching down to pat her on the shoulder, begging her to let me go. This was so embarrassing.

She took my hand, leading it behind me to grab at my bottom, I squeeled unhappily. Feeling the hot musky air against more exposed cleavage. It wasn't 'Oh my God look at her tits!' open, it was more like 'Wow, what a skank.' open. Sam knew I'd be angry at her if she allowed it that far. I tried to reach for my zipper, but she painfully dug her nails into my ass for trying.

I could already picture what I looked like from the shocked faces around us. My short and tanned 5'6 self (3 to 4 inch heels included) standing in the middle of a heated swarm of grinding bodies. Head yanked back with my baby hair matted sweatily to my forehad as I breathed frantically for air, my large firm breasts half-showing through my almost-completely unzipped leather halter top, my small rib cage heaving in and out for oxygen, my delicate muscles expanding and detracting with my breaths. My also, hypocritically extremely low leather skirt showing off all of my boned hips. And may I say that small stretchy leather skirt riding up as she pushed it up. I bit my lip as she used those maicured red nailed fingers to push my skirt higher, feeling her lips kiss my upper thigh. I clenched the Shmernoff to a breaking point with my other hand. I felt her pierced tongue run along my thigh, and that was all I could take.

I tried to think of someway to turn her attention of off that! But the only thing that could come to mind, I still wouldn't like. I yannked my hand from hers, which was gripping my bountyful bottom all too tightly in that small skirt. Grabbing her by the hair I pulled her up roughly, having to let her go as she stood to tower down at me, I whimpered to myself lightly. She smiled down at me, winking innocently, running her finger through the still-wet trail from the button of my skirt up between my breasts. I felt sweat drip down my tight stomach sensitively, making me shiver. She took that as good. Shit. I shook my head and got on my tippy toes, making it look like a kiss to trick her I went for her ear. I felt her shiver. Shit.

"I have to go to the bathroom." I practically yelled in her ear, she parted from me and smiled. Dragging her thumb across my thick bottom lip.

"I'll go with you." Shit shit. I grimaced, rolling my eyes as I completed the onsomble. I pouted my lips waiting for her to kiss me. I could feel her smirk as she knelt down, gripping my hair in that-almost painful grip. Yanking my head back, my throat in a clean line as she licked her way up, catching my lips in a mouth bruising kiss. She tried for tongue but I just didn't do that, not even to make her happy. She'd have all the fun she could possibly squeeze out of me tonight. Then again, I'd begged her to come, I was in debt. In a sick and twisted Samantha Connaly type of way.

She finally let me go as I would have stumbled back but she caught me. Not good. I smiled up at her with my sweaty forhead, while hers wasn't sweating at all. I couldn't help it, I wasn't bi and neither was Sam, but I only did it for her. Like I said, in a strange way I was in debt with her. She hugged me as I quickly took two more chugs of my drink, walking past the many-a eyes undressing the rest of my body. I quickly walked past them, just as a hand gripped my ass very painfully. I whipped around angrily, but I only caught a glimpse of him as he flew backwards. I stood for a moment trying to figure out what just happened then, but shrugged it off. He was yanked back into the crowed of darkly dressed people, must've been by one of his embarrassed friend. Ha, I knew the feeling. I shook my head angrily, glaring at the black cursive bathroom sign as I passed it.

"I can't believe it did that for her, again." I muttered unhappily, coming to a slow stop with my hand on the stall door. I turned to look down the long hallway, finding a small sign in black cursive that read, _"Jaguar Cave."_ I looked at it strangely before stepping back into the bathroom. Wincing at the extremely bright lights, stepping in front of the mirror as I checked myself over. Yep, definitely sweating. I yanked out a paper cloth and patted my forehead sharply, suddenly realizing painfully as I sighed, throwing it away.

"You are so stupid my dear." I said quietly, looking myself over. I did look actually, very pretty. I wasn't conceided, and in fact on a normal basis I denied that I was. And honestly, too. There's a point where short and curvious was too much, like looking at Betty Boop, pretty but strange. That's what I looked like. I shook my head still inspecting my eyeliner, tucking the small pincel back in between my tightly clentched breasts, I trotted unhappily back out. Turning, I couldn't help but to look back to the long hallway. Spotting a leather door, closed right above it reading 'Jaguar Cave'.

"Strange." I said to myself, I'd never noticed it before . . . had I? I couldn't remember. I hadn't been to the jaguar in a while, they could've just instaulled a new dance floor. It was better than going back to that preview-porno waiting for me on the sex-floor. I shrugged as I slowly made my way to the leather door, pondering whether I should push or pull on it as it swung open.

I squeeled a squeeky girlish squeel as I fell backwards. Strong arms caught me as I scuffed looking up. I couldn't meet the person's eyes so I quickly pulled out of their reach.

"I'm sorry I'm sorry, I was just going to go inside and-" I shook my head waving it around my face. Finally meeting their eyes I gave them pologetic ones in return.

"Sorry." I said with a small giggle and a half-smile. My eyes dances from the man's chest, which was the color of freshly fallen snow on a December morning, to his naked neck. He had on a mesh fish-net shirt and leather pants. Typical club gear. Short spiked blonde hair and big blue eyes. He laughed down at me, actually bowing. The man bowed. I looked at him strangely with a stupid grin on my face, clutching my arms across my chest instinctively.

"Would you like to come inside, I was going to get a drink but . . . I suppose I really shouldn't fancy myself with another." British? "British?" I asked, awing at the accent. My major in community college was foreign languages, I wasn't exactly flopping over what language he spoke, if any, but his accent. Accents were what got me into languages from the get-go. He smiled a freakishly white smile at me, how the hell do you get your teeth that white? The only reason mine were like that was because I brushed every night and day since I was 4 years old. Welcome to the land of Obsessive Compulsive Disorderness. He laughed the kind of laugh that rumbles deep in your chest and rises to bubble in your throat and fawn out of purely male lips, when you've said something that intrigued them.

"Thank you for noticing." He said, as he heald out one of his arms for me to take. I stopped for a moment, turning to glance at my shoulder towards the dance floor, I turned back biting my lip. Sam could handle it on her own. I smiled with a skip I took his arm.

"Why not?" I said quietly to myself, giving him a flash of white teeth and a hint of a butt-chin. He gave me one sided cheek dimple that made me want to pinch them. Of course, I restrained myself from doing so.


	4. Dead To The World 4

: A/N: THIS chapter was inspired by my mood to dance to Tool. How would one dance to Tool? It's called HardCore. Here, I'll give you a quick lesson.

1.) Think you are Indy or Emo. Maybe even hardcore, if you think you can add up to that.

2.) You MUST have a strange haircut.

3.) Just to be authentic, bust out with your Fall Out Boy messenger. C'mon. I know you have one, too.

4.) Now . . . the hard part. Throw yourself into a large crowd of swarming sweaty people, whom you've NEVER met. Prepare to be groped and slapped, then FLAIL your arms and legs around like you have mother-fudging ants in your pants. Yes. I said it. Ants in the pants. Flail those limps you hardcore Bumpkin.

There. Now you're hardcore. How do you feel? I couldn't really give a great lesson, I scraped my knee the other day really bad while I was skateboarding, then gave myself a concrete facial. Now I'm softcore. But it's all rad, peacethefuck. :3

Oh . . . Yeah . . . the story . . . Back to that. -cough- :

Dead To The World

Chapter four:

The room was a ton of bricks quieter from the other. In fact it was like walking into a cage filled with a circus orchestra and wild animals, then going into a dim-lighted migraine-resolving talk room. The walls were a dark rich red maybe even hinting to a dark purple, the kind that you just knew they didn't sell at Lowe's. The ceiling was high, and thankfully, had no smoke. And from what I could tell were black. The tile was the same, black. There were leather couches against every wall, but what was interesting was that when you looked closly, it was like a trail railing, only made of expensive couches. There was a small bar to the left of the door, which was quiet. Having every seat filled, but there weren't people jumping over one another for alchol.

To your right was a wide and lengthy area where the couches came together to form a much large couch in the center. People were splashed here and there, not crowding but more like just falling down every other seat. The largest couch that looked like the center piece of the room actually had something that resembled a headboard. And if you looked close enough it wasn't leather at all, but honest-to-God cherry wood. It had carved emblums and languages that I couldn't read. Interesting. I knew Spanish, French, Latin, and German, but this was none and neither. I touched one of the leather seats when we walked by to notice that it wasn't leather at all, but fur. Not really animal fur but short almost cut real fur. My God, that must have been expensive for all of this! I gaped at it in amazement.

My expression must have been obvious because he said, "The boss likes it fancy." He said with a wink. I looked at him for a moment realizing he was talking to me, who else Shurlock? I smiled up at him.

"The boss?" He winked down at me, now realizing he must have been at least 6 foot.

"The mate who owns the lot." I blinked for a moment than laughed softly. "Oh alright." I rolled my eyes and tapped my temple. "Sorry." I said with a light-hearted smile. He laughed, patting my hand where it hung from his forearm. He tapped his temple when he said, "May I assure you, I am but the slowest of slow." I giggled softly, looking down at where my arm layed with his. My slightly tanned arm against his very paler. Noticing the sharp contrast of colors, even in the very, may I say very, dim light.

"Would you like to stay in here, or go to the next room. Would you like me to accompany you?" He asked, I looked at him through amused eyes, finding he was seroius my smile dropped quickly. Oh. Shit.

"There's another?" He nodded, the same serious look on his face. "The next is where I work." I blinked up at him, politely curious. "You work here?" He smiled down at me, nodding. Guiding me across the room, now finding it was much much larger than I had originally estimated. "What do you do?" I asked as he pushed through another leather do, leaving the quiet and quiant talk room to open to a more brighter one. He scratched his head, almost looking nervous as he pointed. I followed his fingers to the middle of the new room, finding a large black island looking thing, all aquianted with a metal pole.

"Oh Dear." I said softly, looking the pole up and down. "You're a . . ." "Professional dancer." I looked up at him bewildered. "Pro-" "-fessional dancer." He said with another amused smile. I laughed with a half-frown/half-smile.

"Let me explain." He said coughing lightly, balling a fist to cover his mouth. I watched as his eyebrows lifted and fell with the action. Supposing these must be his usual expressions it made me smile. He lead me to a table in the far off corner, it was a quiet room filled with low voices, no bar, but many seats.

"Would you like anything to drink?" I smiled, swallowing the last of my Shmernoff, "Can I get another?" He smiled, taking away my empty bottle, "By all means." He called over a man dressed with in an apron, the man smiled at me and the British man made a growling sound that made me frown. I hated male testosterone.

"Anyways," He said with a frown in the general direction of the scurrying bartender. "I wanted to go to Juliard, as all great ballerinas do." He waited for a few moments, me still looking at him, politely waiting for him to go on while he stared at me. "Oh God." He shook his head and frowned, looking down at his hands.

"Go ahead." He said, looking back at me with tired eyes.

"Do I have something on my face!" I asked, brushing away at my cheeks furiously. He looked at me for a moment before cackling with laughter, I glared at him heatedly.

"I was waiting for you to laugh at me." I had to smile from his amused face, he reminded me of my Father. The kind of person you couldn't help to be around without smiling with him. Finally I lowered my face to the table laughing, with the help of alchol loosening me up.

"Why would I laugh at you?" I asked honestly.

"Because I wanted to be a balerina." He said with a half smile that looked somewhat ashamed and confused all at once. I shook my head, crossing my legs under the table.

"There are many male balerinas, professional at that. What? Do you think those teeny tinny women are lifting eachother? Please." I said with a light giggle. The alchol was really helping. He leaned back in his chair, crossing his hands behind his head.

"No no, I know. Just a lot of women, and men for that matter find the fact I did all of those years in dance school to be a ballerina, quite laughable. It's fuckin' annoying, I tell you." I nodded. I could understand.

"I can understand, I suppose. Dancing is a huge profession, and a very difficult one to stay into. They should respect you, that's alot of work for a dream. Alot of work." I said shaking my head, the bartender came into the room and handed me my drink, looking down at the ground.

"Thank you." I said tilting my head and smiling greatfully. I took out a five and gave it to him, "Keep the change." They both looked at me oddly. The bartender looked from the money to the man, then back to me. I looked at the bartender, then the British guy.

"It is more?" I reached in my tight pocket to pull out my last twenty. They both shook their head saying no over and over. I looked at them strangely.

"You don't pay." I laughed, leaning back in my chair.

"What is it, Saturday's lady night? No, sorry, I don't not pay. Not even with Tommy."

"Tommy Portula?" I looked at the tall bartender nodding. "You know him?" I smiled, laying my hands in my lap out of habit.

"Yes, I went to Middle-school and on with him. We're both very good friends."

"He's gay you know." I looked at him oddly.

"What? Are you homophobic?" I said with a snort/laugh.

"No, not at all." I looked at him strangely, as if he had a third head. What was I supposed to say?

"Um, alright well," I lifted the liquor in a gesture of thanks, but just in case the strange man didn't get it, "Thanks." I said, taking a sip while I watched him shake his head and turn away.

"What's up with him?" I asked still watching him walk away. He didn't say anything for a moment, making me turn towards him. He just kept looking at me, it was making me squirm.

"So what's your name anyways?"

"Lance, you can call me Lance." He said, still looking at me. He wasn't eyeing me or checking me out, not even giving me the once over. Not even the twice over. I looked back at him intently, trying to give him the idea I didn't like being stared at as if I were the strange one.

"What's your name?" He asked with a crooked grin, making me notice the small holes in his cheeks, I squinted leaning across the table. Suddenly he did, too, he even closed his eyes. I studied him closer as he puckered his lips. I smirked, leaning back in my chair to swallow more of my drink. Watching him intently as he waited.

"You had chicken pox when you were a kid, didn't you?" He opened his eyes slowly then wide open, sitting up so suddenly he rocked the table.

"Excuse me," He coughed so loudly he turned heads, my eyes were wide while I tried to figure this odd man or Lance, out. "I thought-" He looked at me while he was in the process of tucking the tag of his shirt back into the shirt. He shook his head, "Excuse me. And yes I did have chickenpox as a child." He touched his chin and cheek were the little holes were.

"They left grotesque scars." I nearly choken with the bottle in my mouth. "Grotesque? Are you kidding me? Everyone has them." I turned to show the little holes at the back base of my neck and dotted around my shoulders. "See?" I said, moving my bottom-length hair from his view. His eyes seem to follow the movement, locking on to my back.

"Nasty little bastards." He said, his voice faraway, I turned back in my chair, this time letting my hair fall to my front.

"No, all kids get them." I said with a giggle, and a tilt of my head as I inspected him.

"A dancer must be perfection." He said with a sigh and a shake of his head. I practically sputtered with laughter. "It's not modeling, Darlin'. It's an art. An art with your body, not your looks. C'mon you should know that." I said, taking another swig of my now half-empty liquor. I had to slow down.

His smile brightened, "Yes, it is. Maybe it's just me." He said softly. His eyes drifted from my eyes to my collar bone, at first I suspected him to be checking me out, until he pointed out, "What's this?" He traced his own collar bone, making me look down at mine.

"Oh." I said, zipping up the rest of the zipper that had accidentally slipped more down. "I was actually in a car accident a week or two ago." I traced the shiny scabbed gash across my chest lightly, remembering the instant. And I almost forgot about him . . .

"A car accident." He said lightly, I nodded slowly as I traced the small scar, looking past him at the dark brown wall frowning.

"Yes, I thought I hit a deer." I said, voice a tad drifting.

"A deer." He said thoughtfully. I nodded again, I didn't really care he was repeating me, the whole night was down the drain now. Oh well, I had that first hour or two with peace. A small smile found the corner of my lips.

"A man found me. Actually." I said, looking down at the marble black table. Marble, how expensive. I laughed to myself. "Sorry, I don't really like thinking about it. I killed the deer." I said with slight amusement.

"What's your name?" He asked suddenly, without looking up I answered.

"Zowie. Zowie Excel." I said, seriously trying to keep my thoughts from drifting to wonderously soft places.

"I would like for you to meet someone, Zowie Excel." He said, rising from the table. He held out his hand while I stared at it.

"Meet someone? I just met you?" I said with an anonomous smile, because I didn't know what else to say or do. He waved his hand a bit with a smile, I waited a moment then slipped mine in his.

"Why not?" I asked myself yet again this night. He smiled down at me while I smiled up at him. He walked to the end of the never-ending black tiled island. Which honest-to-God I couldn't imagine him dancing on. He pushed through another leather door that ended with a short abrupt hallway, tan school tiling, black walls. A typical store-room light flickering. He knocked on a closed, first wooden door I'd seen tonight. A grunt came from inside, as he creeked it open pushing his face through. I couldn't hear what he said, but the man must have agreed because he pulled me through. I hesitated a moment, my senses telling me not to go into the creepy storeroom with a man I didn't know while I was buzzing from two Shmernoff's. But hey, why not?

The room was anything but a storeroom. It had light lavender walls, which were wide and long, baush carpet, white chair railing, and windows. A large man sat behind the desk with long brown hair, and as we stepped closer he was not particularly large, but body-builder muscle. I hated body-builders.

He looked up from his paperwork to give me a fast once-over. I stiffened, Lance felt it and stiffened along with me. He was about to say something with the large amount of breath he took in but was interrupted by the fat man behind the fat desk in the pretty now, fat room. I glared at him when he returned his attentions back to his paperwork. I glared at the man who sat in front of his desk, from what I could see he had a black suit, broad shoulders and black hair; he didn't even bother to turn around. Pricks.

"You have to fill out paperwork to dance here. Only shifts left are for Saturday's, Friday's, and Wednesday nights," He said it as if he'd been saying it all day. "We donot have teases, you will be completely nude. Pays 20 bucks an hour, it's pretty good for a pretty good nude show. You look pretty good. Take it or leave it." I glared at him angrily, biting my lower lip, as I slipped my hand from Lance's hand. I turned swiftly on my 4 inch hooker heels, swaying my hips with all the composure I could muster to walk out of that room, without taking that large face of Magnolia's on the corner of his desk and breaking them over his thick skull.

"Her name is Zowie Excel-" Lance said through clentched teeth, I didn't look back, I only closed the door quietly behind me. Practically slamming the next door from it's hindges, catching the glances of people in the strip room, almost now dashing through the small and dark talk-room, now completely running down the dark hallway, past the bathrooms and into the heart pounding, rip vibrating bass of the ongoing party music. Now it was a fast song, where as everyone was still having sex on the dance floor; only closer together and more faster. I ran through the crowd without looking back, finally getting to the side-exit as I breathed heavily; feeling like I'd just run a damn marathon in those damned heels. I surprised people waiting in the line as the door locked automatically behind me, followed by 'Hey!' and 'Watch it!' and other colorful things that brought hot tears to my eyes. I shoved past them, avoiding the front entrance for Parker.

I ran to the back of the parking lot while tears ran down my face, weaving through the onslaught of cars and people actually truelly having care-free sex in and around their vehicles. Disgusting. Why did we park so far back! I practically screamed when I found the car, and no keys. I slid down the side of her matching Honda. We got the same cars from our parents for our 16 birthday, the magic Trio again. I sat on the ground, my eyes shining with unshead tears. Did I really look like a whore? I cradled my head in my hands, which were leaning on my knees. I brought my legs to my chest, cradling myself in a tight ball. With my luck I'd get robbed, or raped, or-

I practically stopped breathing when I heard a growl ahead of me. I slowly raised my face to peek from my behind my shield of hair. If only it really shielded me.

"Zowie Excel. From all your luck of getting called a whore, almost losing your job, losing your car, killing an animal, going to the hospital, internal bleeding of your organs, then from the options of getting raped or mugged, you get attacked by a wild animal." I said softly through silent sobs, I slowly raised to my feet against the car, sliding against it.

A large black and grey wolf stared at me through brown eyes, I wanted to scream my lungs out and run like a bat out of hell, but that is not what I did.

"Please, go away." I said softly, pressing harder against the car as if to maybe ease through the glass. Instead Zowie Excel begged a wild wolf to leave her alone.

"Pleeease go away." I said quietly, my hair sticking to my cheeks from running and crying, but I didn't care. I could've screamed, but would it jump me? Would anyone even hear? We'd parked so far back, that I just didn't know. I slipped one foot out of my heel, then used my toe to push off the other. I could run, I could run fast. Maybe, I could jump ontop of the car, but couldn't it jump, too? C'mon Zow, think of the Discovery Channel! My mind was empty, the only thing I could think of was run run run. My instinct telling me my choices, but my body telling me I wasn't going anywhere. Shit. Shit. Shit.

I stepped to my side, scooting baby steps, it's large head watched my movements almost tiredly. Bored even. Oh I wish it would just go the fuck away! I was going to die by a wild animal, mauled to death. The papers would say. Fuck! It suddenly leaped towards me, and I did the only thing my instincts knew to do. All those years in Tie-Quon-Do, I reared back my leg and slammed my foot in the side of it's muzzle. It made a very human hurt sound, backing off. I grabbed my heels and ran like high heaven. Past all the cars, all the people, to the back of the building. I really didn't want to go inside, but I didn't want to get eaten either.

Finally I slammed against the back of the bricked lot, sliding to my bottom breathing heavily.

"C-can't believe I just fought a w-ild wolf. My God." I said breathlessly, slumping my head back to look up at the stars. I really was losing it, was it really even there? Of course it was! It was going to eat me if I didn't do something!

"What have I done to you, that I don't remember?" I said breathlessly up to the stars. Why was all of this happening? Or was I just having a seriously shitty week. I wished for the latter, I didn't have time or the emotional patience to deal with my life-problems, and then my spirtual ones. That was just too much.

"Hey!"

"Ah!" I screamed, falling on my back, quickly scooting back. Looking up at the person whom I couldn't see in the dark, only the steam coming from what looked like a large machine, blocking my view and lungs. The stars winked down at me as the person stepped closer.

"What are you doing?" Lance. I breathed, heavily, letting my head fall against the concrete. I sighed heavily.

"Since when do you have wild animals running amock in the middle of the city? There a circus in town?" I was still breathing extremely heavy when I sat up, leaning back against the bricked wall.

"What?" He asked, now coming into the light. He sighed, pulling up his leather pants as he sat down beside me.

"Nothing." I said breathlessly, closing my eyes trying to get my heart to stop fluttering. Well, if the damn dog came back, we could run back into the building. But I didn't want to play wild-hide and go seek, tell you the trueth.

"Listen, I'm sorry about Gus, he's-"

"The boss?" I asked with a snort/laugh.

"Only the boss of The Jaguar, the man whom he proved to be a complete arse in front of was actually the man who owns the chain of 'Jaguar'."

I looked up at him through my sloutching position, my lips parted to take in air.

"What chain?" He looked up at the stars in what seemed to be his thinking expression.

"You know Jaguar Estates? The housing area a few miles from here? He owns those also." I reached behind me to pull my sweaty matted hair from my wet neck, pulling it up into a bun I set my head gengerly back against the bricks.

"Interesting." I said quietly, my heart resting from the adrenalin pumping through.

"Yes, I'm surprised you haven't heard of him, he's a very popular man." I shrugged.

"I don't get out much, if I do it's for work or gardening, other than that I'm kind of a hermit." I said through a light chuckle. He smiled up at the sky.

"What do you do?"

"I'm a bartender actually, when I'm at home I paint for my other profession. It pays the rent, you know. Nothing big."

"Really now?" He perked, curious. I didn't know which he was saying 'really now' to, so I shot for the one I enjoyed most.

"Yeah, I throw them on Ebay, I suppose I'm alright. I mean I still have my apartment don't I?" I laughed bitterly to myself. I didn't like making my profession seem so, nothing. But it barely payed the rent, I was a little ashamed. I worked so hard at it, it was my passion.

"Why do you sound so . . ."

"Bitter?" I finished for him, I glanced over at him while he nodded.

"I suppose I think myself better than I actually am."

"Maybe you are?" He said thoughtfully, as if noting something. I sighed, adding a shrug.

"I like to think so." I said with a tired laugh.

"You shouldn't be ashamed, I am sure they are fabulous pieces of art." I chuckled.

"You're primping my feathers babe."

"Primping my feathers? Anyday _Babe._" I laughed at him, foreign.

"You're playing with my ego. Ceist and disist, before I believe you." I cross my ankles, setting my hands over themselves in my lap politely. I'm sure the leather was ripped right now. And I had such larger things to worry over, first thing comes to mind, I hope my skirts not ruined. Typical Zowie.

"Well Dearest Zowie, I must be off for work. But I leave you with my deepest appologies for the bloat who calls himself Boss. I really am sorry." Strange, he didn't sound sorry, in fact I looked over at his face. He was staring up at the sky, face deep in concentration. I even spotted him nibbling his lip, it made me smile.

"You don't sound sorry." I said through a small smile, seriously wondering what could make him think so hard? I'd know the feeling, I'd had that look on my face for days. Just the thought swiped the smile from my face. That man . . . why couldn't he just leave me alone. My thoughts were the only thing that kept me going, I didn't need them stripped from my, too.

"I have, much to do. I'm sorry." He said slowly raising to look down at me. "It was truelly wonderful meeting you." And with that he turned swiftly on his heel and left. Standing in the doorway he turned back around.

"And by the way, you really can't blame the man." He said with a still-concentrated smile. It almost seemed like he was calculating what he let show through his face. This was such an odd night. I was direly ready for it to end, even as far off as that thought was. The night was so very very young. Unfortuantely.

"What man?" I asked, watching his face with honest curiousness.

"The Boss, you look," He made a sound through his lips, sucking air in through his teeth. "Ravishing, if I do say so myself." I laughed a gut tightening hyena sound.

"Thanks?"

"I'll see you again Zowie Excel." And with that he was gone. I shook my head, laughing soft now.

"What a strange man." I said to myself, lifting up. I brushed the small rocks that had stuck painfully into my thighs and arms, now, back to the party.

A/N: I really am sorry for all the mess-ups through out this entry, I really am actually trying to shine it up a bit. You know the drill, give me some R&R if you love me. You strangers with candy. -anime sweat drop- :


	5. Dead To The World 5

: A/N:-scratches boob- Erm if this is confusing . . . I know. I'm trying to make it as less as confusing as humanly possible. -fumbles through old Pizza boxes and manga stacks- I have some notes here somewhere where I gallantly made an attempt to cease with these stupid Author Notes but c'mon. I know you've smiled at least once. Just a little bit. A smidgen. Teeny tinny? No? -pout- You guys suck. XD! Erm, but yeah I will try to fill you in later in the more confusing chapters. On with the show :3 :

Dead To The World

Chapter five:

Five hours and exactly 46 minutes I had eaten breakfast, talked about our president, got some gas, got a phone number invitation, turned down a phone number invitation, one more Shmernoff, a hot shower, and now I was laying in bed with a slubering cat curled around my ankle. A towel was wrapped loosely around my head as I watched my fan spin around and around, until I had to turn away from sickness.

I curled tightly around my warn fake-fur blanket, finally appreciating the hugeness of my black bed. Size did matter. My thoughts drifted as I laced a finger tip over my healing wound, on my shoulder. Eyes closed as I said a prayer of forgiveness for anything I hadn't thought of; that I might have done. I honestly didn't know why these things were happening to me. Everything was so strange up to about a week ago. Why? What had I done? Was this fate? Would I ever see that man again? Did I care? Yes. Why? I didn't know.

I closed my eyes with a loud and raspy groan, glancing over at the large red blinking lights. Six thirty, one. I sighed, petting my kitty as her ear slipped in and out of my fingers.

"Go to bed." I said to myself over and over. I said it until the words were slow and drawn out, I believe around the thirty some odd time I said it, I actually ended up slipping off.

I woke up to my cell phone ringing, where is it? I wiped at my eyes as I rose quickly, flipping it open as I said quietly.

"Someone better be dead."

"Can you come to work?"

"No." Click. No way in hell- damnit.

"What? I was up till 6:30 last night, got attacked by a wild animal, just got out of a car crash-"

"Oh c'mon, you're still gettin' paid. Don't gemme that bullshit Zowie, ain't gunna get out of it." I growled into the phone.

"I'm the best damned bartender you have, in fact the only who even shows up. You wanna fire me Bub, fuckin' fire me. I'll get another job with better hours, better pay, and better boss. Try me and by God will it happen." He was quiet for a while, so long I'd thought he hung up.

"Alright alright, Sue showed up anyways. Bye." He had the nerve to hang up on me. I shook my head tossing my phone somewhere in the mess of my blankets. Getting up with a crack of my back, smelling fresh . . . was it possible? Fresh coffee?

I followed the smell of coffee until it lead me to the kitchen.

"Wowa, where'd you come from?" Lizzy perked up and over at me through her Mother's Digest.

"Mornin' sleepy head." I tightened my poney tailer, reaching for a coffee cup.

"How'd you get in?"

"I've had a key since you turned 18." She said turning her attention back to her Digest.

"Oh." I sighed, sipping some of the strong black stuff.

"Thanks." I said tiredly as I trudged to my computer. Perks of having High Speed, internet's always on. I signed on to my Ebay account, looking over my recent sell.

"How was last night?" Lizz called from the dining room.

"It went alright . . . kind of strange." I said softly, clicking and squinting my eyes at the name. Under My Skin.

"Who's this?" I whispered to myself, opening the latest painting I'd done. It was an abstract of a pregnant woman laying on a checkered floor, looking up through big baby-blues entitled, "Lost and Undefined." It was originally made for Elisabeth, but it was a little more out of the norm for her tastes. It didn't bother me, naked pregnant posing wouldn't have fit in her picket-fence scenario, anyways. No fouls, no harms. I clicked on the buyer's info, and got nothing. Didn't sell anything, didn't buy anything.

"Must be new." I muttered to myself through a gulp of rich coffee. Payed through PayPal. I hovered the mouse over the name curiously, clicking Reply. I jumped when an IM popped onto the screen.

"Jesus." I said to myself, brushing away the scolding coffee which was now on my white nighty shirt. Perfect.

"You okay?"

"Fine." I called over my shoulder. Squinting to read the name of the person, Under My Skin. You wanna talk about strange?

UnderMySkin 11:32 A.M. Good morning.

AbstractoftheMind 11:32 A.M. Good morning? Lol.

UnderMySkin I love the painting.

AbstractoftheMind Oh, thank you very much. I try.

UnderMySkin Indeed, inspiration?

AbstractoftheMind A friend actually, pregnant.

UnderMySkin You are very talented.

AbstractoftheMind Again, it's very appreciated. Painting's my world.

UnderMySkin Sounds like a passion.

AbstractoftheMind I like to think so at least, nice wording.

UnderMySkin Excuse me?

AbstractoftheMind I meant I liked how you put it, it's the word I would have chosen. Passion.

UnderMySkin Isn't that what it is for you, though? Your passion?

AbstractoftheMind If not that, an understatement. I've been paiting since grade school. Goes as far back as finger painting. -chuckle-

UnderMySkin Lol, looks like it paid off. Do you have your own site?

AbstractoftheMind Actually I don't.

UnderMySkin You should, even the ones you've sold already.

AbstractoftheMind That's a very smart thing to say, are you a collector? Or even an artist?

UnderMySkin Not exactly, but I couldn't help but buy your's. The emotions are almost splashed across the canvas. I love it.

AbstractoftheMind Flattering.

UnderMySkin You should be, I'm looking forward to more. I'm sorry but I've got to run, many things to do this Southern afternoon.

AbstractoftheMind You live in the South?

UnderMySkin has signed off. 11:45

I tapped my finger on the enter button, trying to calculate what had just happened. I sure hoped I wasn't getting stalked.

"Do you want to go get something to eat?" I minimized the Ebay screen, stretching with a yawn. I leaned on my elbows uncomfortably.

"Why not?" Seems I'd been saying that alot lately.

"Alright well, go get dressed, I'll do some dishes." She said with a sigh and a wince, touching the lower of her back. I watched her with curiousity, shaking my head slowly.

"I really am happy for you Elisabeth. It seems you're doing very well in life." She looked down at me through the fall of her wavy blonde hair, green eyes sensere and soft. She was happy I was finally opening up, she wasn't one to like being shut out.

"Don't sound so sad."

"Do I?"

"A bit, yeah." She sat back down, looking over at me through thick blonde lashes.

"Talk."

"About what?"

"Anything, everything." I sighed heavily, cracking my knuckles while taking another large gulp of my coffee.

"Alright, just remember you asked for it." I told her all about the car crash, the night after, the week after in fact. The wild animal incident, the weird men I came in contact with. She seemed completley intrigued.

"I didn't even know the Jaguar had more rooms than the main dancing floor." She said with a nail between her lips. I shrugged.

"Neither did I. They must've just built it." She nodded slowly, burning holes through my forehead.

"And the wolf, since when do we have wild wolves in the middle of the city?"

"That's what I want to know, I'll google it later. Find out what kind of pack we carry around here, if any. I didn't even know honestly that we had wolves in Mississippi."

"I knew we had coyotes farther South, when you get out in the boons, maybe even wolves. Wild cats, things like that. But why in the city? Are there woods around the Jaguar?"

"Not that I know of." I said, sitting back down with my third fresh cup of coffee. Was I addicted? Yep. Did I want to hear what else she was about to ask? Nope.

"And the man, we have to find him." I nearly choked on my coffee with laughter.

"Find him? No. Never. The man was naked, in the middle of no where at 2 a.m.. He's probably a phsycho."

"You don't talk about him like he's a phsycho. You get this look in your eyes, and this smile, yeah. You don't think he's a phsycho."

"Sounds like you like him." I said leaning back in my chair as I watched her intently. She had on a loose lavender pull over that I'd bet money on came from the Gap. Blue-jeans with a band around her waist, maternity clothes. Her true white-blonde hair was pulled back in a loose braid, her bangs hanging in her eyes, she'd get them cut soon. She tapped chewed finger nails on her Garfield coffee cup that had sparkly red writing reading, "Have a purrrr-fect morning!" on it. The kind that was way too enthusiastic for any morning, even Christmas. Made you want to hunt down the man who made it, probably turning out to be a depressed balding 50 year old who still lived with his 90 year old Mother. What? Do I sound apathetic?

"Hey babe, he's probably thinking the same thing about you. What were _you_ doing in the middle of nowhere at 2 a.m.. in the morning, huh?" She pressed patranizingly.

"Hey, I work."

"I know that, but did he?"

"Hey! I was fully clothed here! I wasn't the wild one running around with my wang out. So back off." I said with bubbling laughter tightening my throat. She had the same held-back expression on hers.

"Yeah, I can't calculate that one out."

"That's because there's no excuse for running around naked. And because you know I'm right. And it bugs you that you can't figure out some lunaticks motives." She let the laughter fall from her glossy lips so suddenly that it made me break through like a dam, I laughed just as hard. We both laughed until our eyes watered.

"I'm gunna get dressed." I said, shaking my head. She was still laughing when I closed my bathroom door. Maybe my life really wasn't as apathetic as I made it out to be.

: A/N: BWAHAHA! JUST -cough- Sorry about the caps. Just wait until a couple chapters later. It'll be good, I swear it. -stuffs face with popcorn, propping thick glasses back on nose- God, I'm good. Years of Mario and Tetris, years and years alone left with an old school Nintendo and an hp pavilion have lead me to my destiny! -stands tall and shining tears flowing from her eyes, holding her computer screen to her chest tightly, smiling down at her Works Processor.-

Feeding Alex better story. Any questions? Pocky prefurrably. Kthanx you crazy bumpkins. 3 :


	6. Dead To The World 6

A/N: SOMEONE'S GOING TO DIE. IS MY MYSPACE BEING THE ONLY ONE IN THE ENTIRE WORLD WANTING TO DO THIS! WHY! WHY I ASK! TOM! TOM PAY YOUR BILLS YOU WHORE! TT ON -cough- On with the show. ; ; -sniffle- :

Dead To The World

Chapter five:

"He was hot." I said through fits of giggles raging through her third matching Honda.

"I can imagine."

"Really hot."

"Mmm hmm."

"And he had a hu-"

"Wow wow wow! Hold the reins darling, I thought you said you didn't check him out?" I blushed laughing so hard I choked while she patted my back.

"I didn't, I can just-just _imagine_ it being-"

"What's this?" She asked, turning my attention from my hands trying to explain what I meant, I looked to where she was looking as we drove past a blinking ambulance blaring a siren. A squad car was directing us to move on as we drove past, looking back in my seat I watched as a bodybag was pulled into the ambulance.

"Must've been a car crash." She glanced in her rearview mirror.

"Where're the cars?" I shrugged, turning back in my seat as she stopped a few minutes later at a four-way.

"I don't know." I said curiously, saying a quick prayer for the passing soul, and their family. Poor people . . .

"Damnit, and I thought I almost got you out of that depressing shit." She said through a flush of giggles. I flashed a mischevious smile and a squint of my eyes.

"I-am-not depressed, thank you very much."

"Huh, I bet. You've got that lost look on your face again. I hate that face." She said, all giggles and smiles gone. I scoffed.

"Are you worried about me?"

"Of course I am. You're my best friend, you're my sister, family. I worry over everything." Too true. Don't we all? I smiled, folding my arms over my chest as I looked her over. She'd be the greatest Mom one day, I just couldn't shove the bitterness from the thought. She glanced over at me and a look passed through us, a look of complete understanding. Pain, love, the years and the problems. We both knew everything there was to know about eachother. And Sam, there were no secrets between the Three Muskateers. Never.

"You were like a daughter to me." She said quietly. Turning her attention back to the road. She turned into Waffle House as I was grateful for the change of direction we were heading in. I didn't like dwelling over the past. What was done, was done. No need going back over it.

I got out of the car quickly, helping her out of the car as she groaned tiredly.

"J wants four kids. I don't know if I can do this four more times." I laughed under my breath.

"Oh but the worse is yet to come." I said, holding her forearm firmly as she thanked me. Waffle House smelled delicious. I knew everyone who was working, all except for the new kid who was mopping the floor. But even as I got a good look at his face I realized it was one of Janet's Pups. I worked with her, nodding and waving at him he smiled that boyish charm that Janet's late husband had, before he left. I could sympathize.

"Mmm it smells so goood in here." Lizz cut through my thoughts as I helped her into a bright yellow booth.

"It does, isn't it supposed to make you sick?"

"Oh I'm way past that point, in fact I'm at the point where I eat everything, fart alot, then steal your food." She said with eyes all for the waiter walking over to us.

"Two waffles, extra butter, grits, eggs over easy, sausage, bacan, hash browns, and some extra napkins," She said in one fast gush, "please." My eyes were watering as the kid looked at her then his pad, scratching his head slowly I patted his hand.

"So, do you just want to skip the drinks?" He said confused. She perked up in her seat.

"Oh an unsweetened ice-tea and a glass of water, please." I looked at her shaking my head.

"Coke, please, and a small cup of black coffee would be great. I don't know what else I want yet." I said sympathetically as he quickly wrote down everything she'd said. He'd be a good waiter after a few good hard weeks.

"Alright, I'll be back." He said, turning off to make the whole restaurant for her. I was still shaking my head when she turned back to me.

"What?" She asked innocently.

"Pregnant woman's got to eat." She said with a pout and a shrug.

"Didn't say anything." I said with a pop of my lips.

The door jingled with the left over Christmas bells that hung above the door. Ted and Bill, Ted being Janet's Dad, and grandfather to the kid who's name I believe was Johnny. Very simple names in that family. Bill was another fellow football fan with us in High School, but never had the guts to join. The jock's liked to give him a hard time for being skinny and short. Our senior year Billy Bob grew a whole 7 inches from the summer, joined the basketball team as later on to become their star of the squad. Then became a cop after he got all muscley from two years in the gym. He showed everyone up after that. I was proud.

They spotted us and walked over with a thud of black leather boots, dressed in their Sheriff hats, and decked out in brown and yellow uniform.

"Well good mornin' ladies, mind if we join?"

"Sure, you get to sit by Lizz."

"Don't mind if I do." Ted said with a wink, scooting inside as he placed his order to John, who was scurrying all on his own as I noticed everyone else had probably chosen this point to take a cigarett break. How nice of them. He placed his order as I chatted politely with muscley Bill to my left.

"So did you guys see the accident on 41?" I nodded, taking a hot sip of my coffee, glancing back over to Lizz. Who was also nodding sympathetic.

"Terrible crash. I feel bad for the family's." She said softly, folding the napkin under her hands over and over. Poor thing.

"It wasn't a crash at all, it was an animal attack." I stiffened from the news, the mug still against my lips as I locked hard eyes onto Elisabeth's who had the same expression.

"I got attacked by a wolf the other night." Both Bill and Ted looked at me seriously, as Bill ignored his phone while it rang over and over with a ring I noted as Chimes.

"You gunna get that?" I asked as he ignored it the second time. He shook his head as he leaned back against the booth.

"Did you report it?" I mocked what he did, leaning back taking the mug with me.

"No."

"Why ever not?" He asked, the first sounds of anger threading through his voice.

"Calm down Old Man, you'll get a heartattack. It wasn't anything. Just a wild animal, it came at me and I hit it and ran. What else was I supposed to do?"

"You did the right thing-"

"Wait," Bill interrupting as he perked, "You hit it? How?" I shrugged.

"Think about a dog coming at you, I mean what does it really have to attack you with? It's front body. Paws, nails, jaws, teeth. You have everything. If I were one on one with a dog I'd kick the shit out of it before it even got close enough to try and bite me."

"Zowie!"

"Well I mean seriously, one on one combat with a mut? I think I could hurt one at least good enough to run away."

"No, she's got a point." Ted said, running his fingers over his handle bar mustache. I hated handle bar mustaches. "Even though you weren't _on _one on one with a mut, but a full blown wolf. You could've gotten seriously hurt." I shrugged, pulling my hair over my shoulder.

"I saw a bodybag, the wolf killed someone?" Bill scratched the back of his head and Ted looked over at the sizzling grills.

"Well?" Lizzy asked curiously.

"I take that as a yes." I said, sipping the coffee that was cooling too quickly.

"Yeah, but killed would be an understatement." Bill said quietly, I turned towards him politely. "An understatement? How could death be an understatement?"

"Bill-" Ted tried to interrupt before I interrupted him.

"No no, I wanna know." But I was interrupted by Lizzy while she smiled at me appologetically, I smiled sipping my coffee politely. I looked back towards Bill who was smiling and shrugging appologetically over at Ted, who was mumbling something I supposedly shouldn't have been able to hear in the first place. I ignore him.

"It wasn't just one, the coroner says it was a pack of dogs. Well not dogs, you know, wolves." He said as Johnny came back to place a steaming cup of coffee infront of him, while I stared at it wantonly. He must've caught it because with shaking hands he reached over the table and refilled mine. I cooed happily thanking him over and over.

"Hmm coffee coffee coffee." I mumbled cheerfully.

"A pack, you seroius?" Lizz asked, stirring her fake sugar around her melted ice-tea without looking down.

"Wow, that sucks." I said, breathing in the aroma of coffee coffee coffee. He nodded slowly.

"I would tell you what it looked like but, I'm kinda hungry and I don't feel like loosing my lunch-"

"Again." Ted said helpfully. I rolled eyes over at him while he had a more or so green face, staring down at his own mug of coffee disdainfully.

"You too?" I asked amazed. Ted'd been in the force awhile, I wouldn't have guessed he might get sick at the job every once in a while.

"Wow." Lizzy said, her eyes darting from Ted nodding head then back to Bill's mirroring expression.

"Must've been bad." I said quietly, looking down at the checkered table to focuse on something else.

"Bad wouldn't have covered it." Bill said quielty.

"Grotesque wouldn't have covered it." Ted said softly. Wow. Must've been bad.

"Food!" Lizzy chirped happily, as we made room for her huge order of a total 5 whopping plates piled with steaming food. She groped each one from his hands before he could place them infront of her. Bill reached for one of her sausages while she quickly slapped his fingers away.

"What can I get you guys?"

"Lemme get some of that." Billy Bob said, all eyes for Lizz's plate.

"Mmm get your own." She said, eyes rolling back with a mouthful of eggs and bacon.

"Eggs sunny side up and some grits. Not alot. Please." Ted said, face turning back to the table. Sometimes I felt bad that he even had to see some of the stuff they must've been exposed to every other day. Makes me wonder if he could go back, would he have taken the job again.

"Bacon, eggs, and a waffle pla-eese." Bill said managing to rip his eyes from Lizz's plate. Now eye-raping the pad on which Johnny was writing down on.

"Eer can I haaave . . . a hashbrown and some bacon strips please."

"No problem." He said, turning back to his work as I focused on the song that filtered through the air, mixing with the smells of breakfast and bacon. I looked at the jukebox as a small girl with pig-tails and a Saturday day morning pink dress got on her tippy toes to slip another quarter into the machine. I smiled at her, watching as her what seemed to be her Mom took her small dainty hand in her much larger one. I wonder what that felt like. A part of me wanted to know, another part wanted to hate the small girl I didn't know, and then another more sympathetic logical side told me that my cell phone was ringing and that I should focus on something else. I flipped open my phone, noticing it wasn't mine.

"Oh." I said quietly, clipping it back on my hip, making Billy Bob shift. I looked at my fingers as they intertwined with eachother. Listening idly to everyone's conversation as my thoughts drifted. I felt a kick under the table, raising my eyes to find Lizz's questioning stare. She handed me her cell phone under the table as I turned it, so I could look at the small typed letters she wrote.

'Lost look.' it said in flashing letters. I covered my current mood with a smile and a shrug of my shoulders as I slipped the phone back under the table to her. She gripped my hand as she took it in hers, squeezing it, then letting it go.

Suddenly Ted's beeper went off the same time Bill's cell went off. They both grimaced, looking at the number's as they stuffed the last of their food. Taking one last gulp of their drinks, they both stood up.

"Why can't we do that? Talk to the same, dress the same, act the same?" Lizz said staring at the two men standing up. I shrugged, sipping from my mug quietly, eyes rolled to look at the both of them.

"I suppose it takes practice." They both rolled their eyes.

"We've gotta run. See you guys around?"

"Why not?" I said, smiling. Lizzy waved them off with a fork in her hand as she finished off her last waffle.

"I can't believe you ate all that." She sat back, rubbing her stomach as she smiled.

"I can." She said softly, burping as she took a polite sip of her iced-tea. Her Michelle Branch ring-tone went off, while she dug in her purse. Brows burrowing as she looked at the number.

"I told him I'd be with you today." She said with the slightest thread of dissapointment in her voice, made me feel special.

"Hey?" She said, rolling her eyes as she took another larger sip of her drink.

"We're at Waffle-House. Do you need something?" She winced as she scooted off the booth, holding the phone away from her mouth as she pointed towards the door. I waved her off, cradling my coffee in both of my hands while I worshipped the warmth it gave off in my tummy. I glanced across the room bravely, watching the little girl eat a slice of apple pie, her small toes wiggling in her white, butterfly strapped sandles. I smiled, no harm in just looking. Her feet dangles high above the floor in the tall stool she sat in, eyeing the remnants of her pie idly. I wanted to hug her. And I had no idea why.

Her mother pushed her bangs from her child's face, the look on her face reminding me of that Samantha and Parker had last night. The look that said I love you more than life. So, there was harm in looking after all. I wondered where the father was. Probably at home watching football, or working. Or half across the world because the little girl never met him, only getting an invitation to his funeral at 9 years old.

I wondered how her mother loved her. There were so many different kinds of love. The kind of love where she never saw you, never made an effort to see you, only caring that you got food and whatever you asked for. As she played alone in that large suburban house of hers, having only her dolls and herself as company. She'd grow up to be alone, where she'd make life friend's in High School who would brighten her life like stars in the night sky. Filling her with joy, and reminding her that life can be joyous and full of life, and happiness. I hoped that young girl had a wonderful childhood, because she would remember this day. Where she sat young in her Saturday morning pink dress and white butterfly sandles, her pig-tails bobbing with her pie-filled smile. Where her Mother pampered to her, smiling a smile that the young girl would grow up to inherit. It's the smallest things that meant the most later on, they all added up. To either be lethal or memorable. I hoped the latter for the girl. She'd remember this day the rest of her life. As would her Mother for years to come.

The door jingled with a scurrying Elisabeth, she ran over to the cash register plopping down what looked to be money. She looked at me with a face that made me stand and run to her. She grabbed my hand, where as she flew out of the door. I looked back one more time behind me at the little girl's precious face as she smiled at me. I smiled back, I'd remember this day. The smell of bacon and eggs, the girl her mother, the jingle of the doors as we flew through them.

: A/N : TT I've had a bad day. So this will be depressing. Well not depressing but whatever. It gets better, I would tell you the whole plot and happy ending. (Sorry I don't do it tragedy style, it's happy or nothing) But there are some hard twists later down that are kind of harsh. I hope you like it, 3 :


	7. Dead To The World 7

: A/N: I honestly can't think of anything smart to say. I'm all out of ideas. I blame it on the lack of anima on the tube. Haha tube. I hate that word. TUUUUUBE. It's television bitch. Anyways . . .

You rock my multicolored toe socks. Peacethefuck :3 :

Dead To The World

Chapter six:

We arrived at Elisabeth's house, while I sat politely on the couch watching the lost handsome face of James Hedgepath, holding his worried wife Mrs. Hedgepath. I think I found out what and where Lizzy had found the name for the expression I had daily. Because lost would be a perfect word to describe James' face. Tragic, confused, lost would all be great words. I didn't know what to do or say to the news of his dead brother. Found on the side of the road on 91, mauled to death by a pack of wolves. What would you say to something like that? I didn't know, so I didn't say anything. I picked at worn and ripped American Eagle pants, fingering the hole on my knee. Looking down at my lap, hair pulled back into a low poney tail. I didn't know what to do, either. So, I didn't do anything.

"I'm so sorry J." She said quietly, their foreheads pressed together lovingly. He rubbed her back, the other hand pressed to the side of her stomach.

"I am too, baby." He said softly. As tears rolled down his tanned cheeks from his tightly closed eyes. His usually tamed worker-cubical blonde hair a mess around his head. Falling into his eyes messily, a worn white button up, half unbuttoned, untucked into loose and also worn blue jeans. Their eyes were closed as I inspected the rest of the gathered family. To my left on the couch was the Mother of James. Whom I'd met at their wedding, along with everyone else in the room grieving. I didn't really know anyone, not very great at least. Only for Sam and Parker who were to my right. Sam's head was resting on Parker's shoulder, where he cradled her, rocking her slowly back and fourth. Their fingers intertwined where his thumb caressed the top of her hand slowly over and over. Her left hand was wrapped in mine tightly. Squeezing my hand every so often reminding me she was there as my thoughts drifted yet again.

All these people, all this love to go around. It was such a strange feeling of such heart-heavy grief that it tightened my throat. No, I didn't know Joshua Hedgepath or his wife, or his 13 year old son. No, in fact I didn't know them. But the anguishness of their faces made me look away. The boy whom I would later find out name's Joshua the second, looked lost. Not my case of lost, or James' look of lost. But actually didn't know what to do, or how to feel. I had the curious feeling in my gut to ask him if he even knew his father. But I restrained myself. I acted like I was invicible. This wasn't my tragedy, so I wouldn't let it burdon my heart any heavier than it was already for the past 2 hours. No, I wouldn't let it stay home.

I looked at the older woman in her Sunday morning church dress. A loose white dress with flowers coming up to lick around her knees. Her Sunday straw hat thrown on the floor by the door, her eyes glazed over with some emotion I couldn't read and didn't necessarily want to know of. Her grey, white, and blonde hair falling from it's loose bun nestled on the top of her head. Her old white skin, sagged and aged around her eyes which were normally green to match her son's. The one alive and the one passed away.

I lifted my free hand and gently set it across her cold one placed gently in her lap. She didn't respond, so I slipped my fingers in the hallow spot of her palm. She turned her head to look at me, but not for any ackwoledgement that I'd touched her, but to remind herself she was there. A young woman was beside her holding her hand. Her whole family was there. And yes, this was really happening. I smiled at her with tears in my eyes, she didn't smile back, she didn't cry. Self control. Because inside I could imagine her screaming and crying and dying and withering. I knew what it felt like, I knew the feeling of complete aloneness, lost, scared, withering, dying even. Except she wasn't alone because everyone was here with her. Cousins, aunts, uncles, brother's, sisters, children, grandchildren, so on ect. She wasn't alone, which was why I leaned in towards her, the tears barely back behind my lids.

"Eveyone is here with you." I said softly, quietly, heard and meant for her alone. She blinked at me, then looked around the room as if for the first time noticing she were there. Her lips pursed and she looked back at me, nodding slowly. Tears falling freely from her old, tired skin. I squeezed her hand and she squeezed back with a surprising amount of strength. I closed my eyes and kept them that way. Quietly listening to the loud sobs, the soft sobs, the soft talking, and beyond all that the silence. The knife cutting, skull splitting silence. Sometimes silence was alot worse than words. This was one of those times. I would remember this day.

I remembered it while I was driving to Wal-Mart to pick up some groceries. The silence again weighing down between Samantha and I. I turned up Disturbed to blare away the quiet. More like scare it away, I didn't need that right now. After a few hours of talking quietly amongst ourselves on the couch, we'd said our goodbyes. I'd hugged James' Mother, James', and lastly Elisabeth. I was happy when I looked into her face, that I didn't find that withering lost look on her. That kind of look doesn't look right on a free soul, an unmarked soul. She looked more confused and tragic, which is better than lost by any means.

Parker was in his truck alone, remembering both Sam and Parker's expression made my mood lighten. They were both sympathetic, grief, careing, but nothing more than that. They didn't know anyone else there, they didn't know Joshua Hedgepath. The only reason Parker was there was because of James and Elisabeth. Samantha and I were there for both.

Sam had wanted to ride with me in silence, Parker didn't argue, he wasn't one to control. Only love and care. I finally pulled into Wal-Mart, Parker had gone on home when I told him I'd take Samantha home in my new insurance paid for Honda. Yes, insurance wasn't always bad. Glad I'd paid all those years for it.

We wove our way through the isle's of cereal brands and bags of candy bars, where I plucked one from its spot on the shelf, throwing it in the little basket I grabbed at the entrance. I had most of everything I needed, chocolate, Ben and Jerry's, cereal, milk, and some more coffee grounds. Samantha didn't say anything at the checkout, neither did I. She didn't say anything on the way back to the car, or the drive to her and Parker's house in Jaguar Estates. Ironic isn't it?

"Did you know this place is a chain of places owned by the same guy who owns The Jaguar?" She shook her head, frowning. Apparently the night had weighed down on everyone's moods and hearts whether you wanted them to or not.

"Strange, I didn't know that either." I pulled into drive 201 Jaguar Block. "Want me to go in with you?" I yawned when she walked over to the driver's side.

"You don't have to, I think I'm going to go to bed anyways." I looked over at Parker's large black Ram beside my small black, tinted Honda Civic. "Do you wanna stay the night?" She asked, patting my hand with hers. I smiled at her tiredly, it was already 7:00, I wasn't tired, but I wouldn't mind going home. I shook my head.

"I think I'm just going to go home, too. I'm whipped." I said, leaning in to hug her.

"Alright, I love you Zow girl." I smiled at her, smelling her favorite perfume. "I love you, too Sammy girl." She kissed my cheek and quickly turned to drag up her large, long, and concrete drive way. Parker was already at the door, waving at me with a smile/frown. I waved back, shrugging. He nodded, I nodded. End of story.

: A/N: BEING the online genious I am, I have fixed my myspace, and thus ending this with Zowie Excel learning a valuable lesson eeeer whatever. -sigh- Hurry to the next chapter! I can't remember what I wrote about but I swear it'll be good! XD :

: Oh . . . and I no longer want to tie a certain SOMEONE WHO IS ASSOCIATED WITH MYSPACE to a chair naked with I set HIS/HER toes on fire. Thank you for paying the pills, I know it's tough. Buy some instant Romin, you can live off it I swear. And some bagel bites. 3 I'll ship you some. :


	8. Dead To The World 8

: A/N: In this section I have a small POV change up. It doesn't last or anything, but just so you can see who this mysterious Ebay old guy is. He's not really old btw, well, in a strange way. -shakes head- You'll see.

Point a finger at me again.

Guilty by association.

I wanna run away.

I wanna know the truth.

I wanna know the answers.

I wanna shut the door and open up my mind.

Chester Bennington . . . I love you. XD :

Dead To The World

Chapter eight:

My apartment was cool from the hot and musky Southern Mississippi late afternoon/night. I welcomed it with tired eyes and a tired sigh to boot. I threw my tan messenger bag to the floor by the door, kicked off my black flops, pulled my hair from the tight poneytail. This was home. Quiet, cold, and alone. But home. I had friends who loved me like their own. They told me on a daily basis everyday they loved me, vise versa. I walked over to my stereo in the living room, clicking on soft Linkin Park where it rang out slowly and drowningly. Resting my sore screaming muscles.

I sat down in front of my computer screen, pushing it on to life. Squinting at the sharp white light it illuminated throughout the room. The window was creaked open, I thought I'd shut it when I left. Did I really care? Nope. The room was that dark blue/black it gets when the sun is down, but night isn't truelly prepared to take over just yet. The moon's out, but the stars haven't exactly woken just yet. I looked at my buddylist, preparing the Instant Message this time.

UnderMySkin: 7:32 P.M. Hello again.

AbstractoftheMind: 7:36 P.M. Sorry, had to get some coffee.

UnderMySkin: Long night?

Abstractofthemind: Very.

UnderMySkin: Same.

AbstractoftheMind: Why's that?

UnderMySkin: Work. Still working. Always working. Lol.

AbstractoftheMind: I know all too well.

UnderMySkin: Why, for you?

AbstractoftheMind: Not exactly that it was terribly long, but death's always seem to make everything more . . . tragic.

UnderMySkin: Death?

AbstractoftheMind: Unfortuanetly a friend had a death in the family.

UnderMySkin: Oh, I'm very sorry. Is she alright?

AbstractoftheMind: Yes, she's alright. A wolf attack. Where did they come from out of the blue? It's strange. I

even got attacked by a wolf, just two days ago.

I tapped on the my mouse idly, waiting for a reply, my breath hitching when it finally came. I hadn't expected it, laughing at myself I clicked back onto the IM.

UnderMySkin: Are you serious?

AbstractoftheMind: Yeah, it was nothing really. It was just . . . I dunno strange? Yeah, strange.

A big wolf, black and brown. Beautiful, but I'd never imagining ever running into one.

UnderMySkin: Where _were _you to get attacked by that kind of an animal?

AbstractoftheMind Believe it or not, the city. I was at a club, it was rather random. In a parking lot, too. Strange, isn't it?

Do they have wolves were you are?

UnderMySkin: . . . Yes actually, we have suddenly had an . . . outburste of wolves around the area.

AbstractoftheMind: So, you _do _live in the South?

UnderMySkin: Yes, I do. Mississippi area, actually.

Would I take this as coincedence? Yes. Extremely ironic? Yes. Did my apartment suddenly seem a tad creepier? Yes. Did I know why? Nope.

AbstractoftheMind CHANGES THE SUBJECT

AbstractoftheMind: Interesting.

UnderMySkin: So, what is your current piece of work?

I looked behind me at the half-splattered abstract cavas I'd been working on.

AbstractoftheMind: Actually, it's a very personnal piece.

UnderMySkin: Oh, I'm sorry.

AbstractoftheMind: Oh no, don't worry. It's an abstract like more or most of my pieces but it's of a man

standing in the woods. It's hard to explain over this but, the trees are dark. Heavy colors, black,

grey,red. His body is nude, more tans, whites, greys. Very light earthly colors in a very dark world. Or that is what I'm

shooting for. His hair is long and very black, I made his face blank, hints that's where the abstract comes into.

This is a very . . . particular piece for me, if I don't like it I'll end up selling it. I don't really keep my pieces, truthfully.

UnderMySkin: Amazing, what was your inspiration?

What was my inspiration. I could tell him of days, where as I only saw the man for minutes.

AbstractoftheMind A man I met, on a strange meeting. I only saw him briefly, tell you the trueth. But, I more

or less thought the details up. The color scheme, the feeling, the emotions . . . I don't know how to explain it.

But when I'm finished I'll put a picture up on the new site I'll have up. Hopefully.

UnderMySkin: I can't wait.

AbstractoftheMind: . . . neither can I. Neither can I.

I couldn't keep the question of my head so I finally asked.

AbstractoftheMind: What region in Mississippi do you live?

UnderMySkin: Harely, MS. Jaguar Estates.

My heart pounded in my throat, I didn't ask him exactly where he lived, nor did I truthfully want to know. But what was said, was said. Couldn't change it or take it back now.

AbstractoftheMind: Oh, wonderful.

UnderMySkin: Don't worry, lol. You donot have to tell me where you live. I wouldn't ask.

AbstractoftheMind: So have you lived here your whole life?

UnderMySkin: No actually. I'm from the hills of Clifornia, that's where my heart is.

AbstractoftheMind: Ah, you're married?

UnderMySkin: Haha, no no. My heart is there because that is where I'm from. It's where I would call home.

AbstractoftheMind: LOL, oh I appologize.

UnderMySkin: Lol, it's nothing.

AbstractoftheMind: Hehe.

UnderMySkin: So, are you from the South?

AbstractoftheMind: No, actually. Me neither, I moved here in Elementary. Originally from the deserts of Arizona.

UnderMySkin: Hmm, how was that?

AbstractoftheMind: It wasn't home, and I honeslty couldn't remember if I tried.

UnderMySkin: Why wasn't it home?

AbstractoftheMind: Different reasons, but that wasn't where my heart was.

UnderMySkin: Where is your heart?

AbstractoftheMind: Good question, I'll let you know when I found out.

UnderMySkin: Ah, I see.

AbstractoftheMind: I don't mind, I've lived here most of all of my life, but it just isn't . . . home. These walls aren't home,

this just isn't it.

UnderMySkin: I can understand in a way.

AbstractoftheMind: It's confusing.

UnderMySkin: I can sympathize, I can only wish you find it one day.

AbstractoftheMind: Thank you, kind words, I'll take them to heart.

UnderMySkin: I hope you do. I'm only sorry they can't trully help.

AbstractoftheMind: They do, and they can. In the words of a stranger I find comfort, I thank you.

UnderMySkin: And I, you.

UnderMySkin: Did you know . . . they are holding a fighting pin in Harley with the wolves only a short

distance out of the city?

AbstractoftheMind: A fighting pin?

UnderMySkin: Yes, it's a more or less, convention. Bets, food, everyone gets together bringing wolves, lion cats,

different animals to fight in a ring for hours.

AbstractoftheMind: Isn't that illegal?

UnderMySkin: I believe it is.

AbstractoftheMind: That's terrible.

UnderMySkin: It being illegal?

AbstractoftheMind: No, forceing animals to fight eachother, I hate that.

UnderMySkin: Why?

AbstractoftheMind: I don't like seeing things hurt, or being hurt. Especially for someone else's

enjoyment. It's terrible.

UnderMySkin: I can agree on different leves, I have a cat actually in the pin.

AbstractoftheMind: . . . Is it to the death?

UnderMySkin: No, not to the death. One usually walks out harmed, although.

AbstractoftheMind: Still . . . I don't know. What kind of cat do you have?

UnderMySkin: A great cat, Jaguar.

AbstractoftheMind:

AbstractoftheMind: . . .

AbstractoftheMind: You have a Jaguar? How and why!

UnderMySkin: Lol, it's confusing, in all honesty, but he competes, and he is a warrior on the front lines.

AbstractoftheMind: You shouldn't force it to do that.

UnderMySkin: Why ever not? It's its instincts to fight other cats or wolves.

AbstractoftheMind: Not all the time, and if so that doesn't mean it has to.

UnderMySkin: I love my cat, I do care about it.

AbstractoftheMind: Liar! Lol you wouldn't force it to fight if you loved it!

UnderMySkin: It is actually a very kind thing, not rough unless its in the pin. I love it with all my heart,

and I fear that if another animal were going to try to do it anyharm, it would kill it. And I have no problem with that.

AbstractoftheMind: You speak as if you trully know it.

UnderMySkin: I do.

AbstractoftheMind: I'm guessing you love cats, eh? lol

UnderMySkin: Lol you could say.

AbstractoftheMind: Well . . . I have a kitty whom I love with all of my heart and his name is JC!

UnderMySkin: You like cats? I'm glad. Lol, JC?

AbstractoftheMind: It's been with me for years, it's actually old and fat. But Shh! I didn't say anything

JC means Just Cat. Lol, I couldn't think of a good name.

UnderMySkin: That's cute

AbstractoftheMind: I like to think so.

UnderMySkin: Well, if you're in or around the area, you could see. It's a glorious event.

AbstractoftheMind: Ya know, no one talks like that anymore. Not for a whooooole bunch of years. Lol

UnderMySkin: I forget, I'm sorry.

AbstractoftheMind: It was a compliment in a strange way. So, how old are you anyways?

UnderMySkin: Old.

Funny, I pictured him young.

UnderMySkin: 24

AbstractoftheMind: LOL. That is NOT old, you strange man!

AbstractoftheMind: Well, then I guess that makes me a child. : I'm 20

UnderMySkin: That's not a child, that's just young.

AbstractoftheMind: Well then you're young, too.

UnderMySkin: Ah, but I am different. Much older than my years.

AbstractoftheMind: Psh, you're crazy.

UnderMySkin: As I've been told.

AbstractoftheMind: What's your name anyways?

UnderMySkin: Alexander. At your service

AbstractoftheMind: No need to be so old, old man. Alexander, I like that.

UnderMySkin: Thank you.

AbstractoftheMind: Zowie, and you're welcome.

UnderMySkin: It's a pleasure to be aquainted Zowie.

AbstractoftheMind: Pleasure's all mine Alexander.

AbstractoftheMind: And now, I think I'm off to bed, I'm actually very tired. Ttyl?

UnderMySkin: I think I'll be off, too. Last minute things to do. Ttyl? Sorry, lol.

AbstractoftheMind: I meant, talk to you later. You old man, catch up on computer slang. Lol

UnderMySkin: Again, my mistake. Goodnight Miss Zowie.

AbstractoftheMind: Goodnight Mr. Alexander.

UnderMySkin has signed off 8:51

"Goodnight Alexander."

On the other side of Harley, Jaguar Estates sat Asher Alexander. The light from the computer screen shutting off as it went dark all around him.

"Goodnight Dearest Zowie." He listened as the door closed in the dining area.

"Brother!" He yelled out, getting up from his claw legged wood chair. Knowing exactly where to step in the dark of the dining hall, kitchen, resting area, living room.

"Brother?"

"What?" Came a tired sigh, sounding more growled than normal.

"I need to speak with you."

"Of what?" He said tiredly, making his way back into the resting area, holding the computer and the 17 foot wall to wall of nothing but leather bound books. His sactuary.

"Please listen to me." He said with a plead, watching in the dark as his Brother slumped in the large leather sofa, closing his eyes tiredly. His black curls falling to his knees, but heald back in a low poney tail coming loose, swinging over his shoulder to lay in his worn blue-jeaned lap.

"Come tommorow, I beg of you. Please." Hearing his more dominant Brother growl he stepped back, settling on his knees, head bowed.

"Please Brother."

"Why?" Came the angry voice in the corner.

"Because I need you there Asher. Ash." He said quietly, pleadingly.

"To watch you harm yourself yet again? I donot wish to accompany you to that shit-hole. I've better things to do." Alexander's head shot up at him, glaring.

"What? Stalk your human in the middle of the night?" He bit his lip for his own bravery, lowing his head; letting out the breath he didn't notice he was holding when his Brother yawned.

"I donot stalk her, we keep . . . what's the term? Running into eachother. That's all." He scoffed, rolling his large hazel eyes swallowed up by his matching Magnolia skin. The only thing trully seperating the two was the hair color and the attitudes. While Asher was 6'3 he matched him in height, Alexander was built more lilthe than his older Brother. Where as Asher was more built for war, his brother was built for art. Even though Asher hated what he was breeded for, Alexander loved the game of war. Loved it like it were art. It was his passion, among other things.

"I'm sure." He said, rolling his eyes. Biting his lip, hopeing Zowie would take his advice and ask around about the fight. Wanting his Brother to finally take the woman he so stayed up late through the night talking about. Which he never did, about anything, or anyone. The only emotion he'd ever saw through his Brother, was for him. And on a rare occasion, at that. Spread wide and far out.

"Alexander I tire. I donot want to watch you get ripped apart, yet again. Don't you tire of it, also?" He asked, looking through his hand which cradled his head against the arm rest.

"No, I do so love a challenge. I am the chapion, donot make me sound such of a dunse."

"Because you are."

"Am not."

"I won't argue and neither you. Shut up, I've a headache." Knowing he wouldn't leave the real subject why he was even speaking to him alone, he'd just turn the subject a bit.

"Did you find the hound that attacked her?" He asked quietly, edging to rest his chin on his older Brother's knee.

"Indeed." His Brother said quietly, he couldn't hide it although. He could hear his heart beat faster, his breath heavier, the atmosphere heavy. His Brother, Asher, had been there the night she got attacked, in fact. He wouldn't tell him much, but of what he did he got through snarls and K-nine snaps. Apparently one of the wolvens had attacked her, mangy animals. He couldn't piece together why'd the dogs would do so, but he didn't have all of the puzzle pieces. He intended to collect them later by God so help it. He would figure this out.

Why couldn't Asher just let himself enjoy the smaller perks of life? Especially 'their' life. He did, somewhat. But not Asher, it was always business business business. Work and business. All the time. He angered over all the bullshit his Brother caught on purpose. Did he get off on it? Alexander didn't know, but wanted to change him so desperately. For his own good, he needed this woman he showed such heart-filling, but small emotion for. If he could only add gas to the small flicker of light, he could bring it to life. Just the littlest spark was needed, and he had it. He could do this, he could.

"One of the Western Nooks on our territory. I handed the mut over to his pack leader, I know Gregory, he'll take care of him." He said through slightly clentched teeth. In the dark, Alexander hid his smirk.

"I . . . fight that Mut tommorow. If Greggory gives him the traditional punishment for harming the Hunt on another's territory."

"She is not a hunt." He said under his breath. Growling; under his breath. Blinking slowly he smiled.

"Why do you smile?"

"I wish to make a deal?"

"What kind of deal?" Asher asked with a sigh.

"I'll kill him, I'll kill the mut if you come."

"You don't even know if Greggory will put him in the pin. I'd waste my day flogging off with you."

"It'll be worth your while. If he does not show, I will repay you somehow. As of old, remember?"

"Yes." He said quietly. "I suppose . . . we could arrange something." The only reason Alexander even caught the words, was because of his sensitized ears, otherwise all that would have been recognizable would of been a snarl.

"Alright. I'll kill him, if you only come."

"Why do you want me to come so badly Alexander, what have you done?" His breath hitched, closing his eyes he forced himself to calm. His Brother couldn't smell lies as good as he could, but none-the-less he could.

"I've done nothing." He said, honestly and blandly. As if saying it were raining outside, like it was everyday. Nothing behind his words, or he hoped so it would.

"That is not what I smell of you. I smell fear. What do you fear Alexander?" He was quiet for a moment, as he started to rise from his kneeling position.

"I've done nothing Asher."

"Come here."

"No. I tire also, I'm going to bed."

"Now." He said, Alexander actually thought he growled which was the only reason why he turned around, tears in the back of his eyes. He only wanted to help. If his Brother found what he'd done, he'd be punished, he really only wanted to make his Brother happy. The deep and low warning growl of his name made him edge towards his Brother. Kneeling in between his Brother's legs he lowered his head as he listened to the stretch of leather and blue-jeans as he felt breath on his forehead.

"Brother-"

"Silence." He said through clentched teeth, his breath would have tickled on his ear if he weren't so scared. His Brother wouldn't mind punishing him dearly for what he'd done, even if he found out he lied about anything. Especially the woman . . . he knew his Brother loved him, loved him dearly. But, he would none-the-less hurt him, enough for him to get the point.

"What do you fear, Dear Alexander?" Suddenly his Brother was soft, a callused large hand lifting his cheek to look up at his Brother as tears fell from his unclosed eyes freely.

"You." He said quietly, all that gorgeous, curly thick mane of Alexander's hair falling around his lower back. It had always grown so slower than his older Brother. Hazel eyes locked onto honey eyes.

"Why fear me? What have you done? Tell me, please Alexander. I honestly am tired, I have had a hard day. But I donot want to harm you, I so hate doing it. I love you with all of my heart Brother. Tell me what you've done now, see if I can't mend it. Please." Alexander shook his head slowly.

"I've only done it for you, please believe me. I love you Brother." He said, crystaline tears falling down his soft cheeks. Long auburn lashes brushing his tear-stained cheeks, soft smaller callused hands laying limpy in his lap. Toes curled into the hardwood as his knees began to ach.

"Tell me Brother. Please tell me."

"It's about the woman." He slowly started to crack as his Brother's had fell away from his cheek aggitatingly. It seemed as though the only sound in the entire room was the breathing of himself, hard and rough.

"What of her?" Asher said, voice emotionlessly dull.

"I've . . . talked with her. I've asked her to come to the pin tommorow." He was sure he was the only one in the room for a few moments, as he listened to his Brother's footsteps.

"Brother?"

He was left alone in the silence as he was punished, sometimes silence was so much more harmful than words could ever be. He shouldn't have done what he had, he knew. But this new Zowie, this woman, seemed to fill his spirits more than any other he'd let inside of his Brother's very hard life. They'd been through hell on Earth with eachother, they'd seen death, they'd heard, watched, smelled, cried death. While Asher grew quiet and far, Alexander grew angry and rebellious. Determined to fight against these bad forces that plagued their old life. Finally they managed to get away with their lives, or as much as they had left.

But this new joy, oh this new joy in his life! This oh so small flicker that lit fire behind those hazel eyes! He lived to see that fire in his Brother's eyes, he'd die to keep those empty pits lit. Anything to make his Brother happy . . . anything. Even if a small trechory would was the price to pay. A debt and a memory would be laid against him on this, trust would be taken away. But, it was worth it as he was shunned away from his own Flesh and Blood.

As Alexander rose from his knees he wiped the tears from his eyes as he walked over to his desk, lifting the small photograph of his Brother and himself back in the slavery years. Yes, those were not the years, but even then the two had big boyish missing-tooth smiles. Even through those hard times they knew they had eachother, they loved eachother. As he brushed his thumb over his older Brother's arm, which was laid against his much smaller Brother's shoulder.

Oh yes, sometimes silence was so much worse than words. The tongue could set nations on fire, but when nothing is said, that means you are all on your lonesome. And being alone, was far worse than war in his oppion. Yes, being alone was true punishment after what he'd/they'd been through. Far worse than war or even death.

In one fluid motion he placed the picture back onto the desk and left that dark, quiet room to itself. Where he could go to his dark home, without the warmth of his Brother, yes being alone was far worse than any other punishment he could have been justified with.

And his worst fear, as Asher knew. As he flew through the streets in his Jaguar speed, he thought to himself, the sword is a double blade.

In his Brother's heart he knew, he feared the darkness, the aloneness just as much as he himself did. He silently prayed for forgiveness from his Brother. For making Asher hurt both himself for his own punishment.

He hugged his arms around himself inself insecurely as he flew up the stairs to slide into his bed, where he turned on his stomach and cried body wracklingly hard.

Yes, this is what they feared most.

: A/N: Yes, Asher is Asher Alexander's old Brother. They have the same names I know.

Older Brother: Asher Alexander Blacksheer the Second.

Younger B. : Asher Alexander Blacksheer the Third.

Older B. : Known as Asher. Or Ash.

Younger B. : You guessed, Alexander, or Alex.

The first is their Father, which is meant for later chapters strictly information/story ect. You'll figure out about Zowie's strange past later, along with theirs. Or at least in flash backs and small bits, until the end where you can put the pieces together. I actually am not 'very' certain where I'm going with this. Kind of the running in the dark senario, but it has a point, I just have to get to it. Thanks for reading, I'm officially fucking tired. Nai Nai to all. 3 :

: By the by, I really did spend alot of time spacing this whole thing out, and punctuation and all of those shananagans and it like TOTALLY effed it up. I just like . . . redid the entire thing. If there are any more errors that I'm too tired to read over and find for the fifth time, sorry. But I'm passing out cold and finger-cramped. Nai Nai Duckies. 3 :


	9. Dead To The World 9

: A/N: I've officially had . . . the worste day ever. Omfg you don't even, couldn't even begin to imagine.

ONE the pizza place was closed the MINUTE I drove up.

TWO Sonic OF ALL PLACES was closed.

Dude. Everything. Was. Closed. I. About. Went. Maniac. In. My. Vehicle. Like. Woah. Irrisponsibly.

I had to go to WAL-MART. TT Wal-Mart does not have delicious ready-to-eat Cheesy Fries. NOPE NO CHEESY FRIES FOR LEX. NOOOPE. Had to get FROZEN PIZZA. Frozen Pizza. Disgusting. Shameful. Grotesque.

Listening to From First To Last. 3 :

Dead To The World

Chapter nine:

The place smelled like a zoo. Literally. I pinched the bridge of my nose as I quickly edged my way through the huge crowd of people at exactly 6:32 P.M.. It'd taken me pracically 4 damned hours to find the place! No wonder, too. It was in the middle of nowhere. I had to stop and ask bikers, who looked suspiciously dangerous. Or at least their smell was. With their big bar-handle mustaches that reminded me of Ted. I hated bar-handle mustaches.

"Oh God, it smells strange." I said, using the map I'd bought at Berny's Quik -N- Go to even find the damned place. Yes, I came. Was it smart to take an invitation from a person who you've never met before? Nope. Did Zowie Excel do it though? Of course. In fact I'd asked myself, "Why not?" Did Zowie Excel bring Mace? Yep. Would it help with all of the bikers staring at her across the parking lot, as I quickly ran into the stadium? Nope.

"Good one Zowie, good one." I walked what seemed to be called, "The Pin". It was huge, to put in a short. For lack of a better word, it was dirty. And smelly, and it had chained fencing for the high walls, barracing the underground cell. Bleaches were piled high to stare down into the monstrosity.

There were too many people and . . . surprisingly no animals? Literally, I'd seen no animals what-so-ever. Where were they all? And I thought I was late? Well, by two minutes but still. I slipped against a brick wall quietly weaving through the crowd, as I pressed my back against the bricks, looking down at my cell phone for any new messages.

I was wearing for this particular event a pair of hip-hugging Aeropostle dark blue-jeans, all worn on the thighs, with holes which showed off my tanned knees. How clever? Tanned knees. Anyways, I had on an old Jaguar's Bar T-Shirt Tommy'd given me for Christmas last year. It was black and long, coming to the middle of my hips, where it stretched not too-tight but alittle too-noticeable on my breasts. With Jaguar eyes on my collar bones, which on the back had white cursive writing reading "_Jaguar Nights"_ which was the nick-name for it.

My hair was straightened and let down as it swung around my bottom, I parted it in half to hand on either side of my chest limply swinging as I tapped my old American Eagle flip-flops against the dirty ground. Looking down at my toes which were done in French-tips. I sighed as I waved the map around my face, wearing the only makeup I really ever wore, thick black eyeliner and some mascara to bring out my darker hazel eyes. I scooted my black-rimmed glasses on the tip of my nose as I looked down at my cell-phone. No messages, of course.

"Zowie?" I looked up from my flip-phone at the site of Lance standing in front of me, clothed in strangely strangely similiar as me. Loose blue jeans, that looked like they'd been ripped on accident, a long and loose 'Jaguar Nights' T-shirt, only his was white, the sleeves ripped off to show his defined, pale, and musclar arms. His hair wasn't spiked tonight, but messily thrown around his head, his large white smile still large and freakishly white.

"Lance?" I asked, matching his enthusiastic surprise with my honest enthusiastic surprise, because now I wasn't alone in this smelly, sweaty pit! Yay!

"What're you doing here?" He asked, with a quark of his brow. "This didn't seem like your kind of gig." I shrugged, honestly it wasn't.

"It's not actually, I'm here for . . . a new friend." He did the eyebrow lift thing, sighing as he leaned against the brick wall with me.

"New friend, eh? Don't make me jealous. What's her name?"

"Don't flatter me. And it's a him, Alexander? A man who'd bought one of my paintings online, gentleman really." I said with honest curiousness. I was actually a little excited to meet the man, not as scared as I was when I first got here.

Checklist of bravery:

Mace. Check.

Lance. Man. Check.

Cell-phone. Check.

Killer flip-flops in which I can hit those ugly Biker Men if they get too brave. Check.

Things were looking up. I looked up at Lance because he was being so quiet.

"You alright?" I asked while he stared ominously down at me like I'd turn green any second. "Something wrong?"

"How do you know Alexander?" I smiled, good.

"You know him? What's he like?" I asked curoiusly.

"Asher." He said down to me. The thought stopped my heart as I recalled the glorious name that'd been haunting me for the past two weeks. Asher, he'd said his name was.

"How do you know him, again?"

"He bought one of my paintings online." I said quietly, my eyes darting to each of my fingers as I looked down at them, trying to keep my thoughts from drifting.

"And yes, I know Asher. In fact he came here with the Pard." I looked at him, thankful he tore me from my happily drifting mind.

"Pard?" I asked, laughing under my breath as I looked up at him questioningly. He nodded down at me, as his body stiffened. I tried to read his face as he turned away.

"Hey? Where you going!" I asked, as my fright level turned up a notch. Great, now I only had three excuses to be brave.

"I need to find Asher." He yelled over his shoulder through the gruffing sounds of the crowd.

"Let me come!" I squeeled behind him. "Don't leeeave me! I don't know who these people are!" I yelled as he dissapeared into the crowd. "Well fuck!" I grumbled unhappily as I tried to follow him through the swarm of people. I followed him all the way down what seemed like a long bricked alleyway, turning at the last minute he dissapeared into the only corner. I whimpered, turning back around to look down the long alley way to watch all the people at the end. "Damnit!" I squeeled, rearing around the corner to smash face first into a hard back, as I rubbed my nose.

"You're such an ass! I told you-" The person turned what looked like a smiling/snorting face down to look at me where I sat pouting on the ground. My eyes darted to Lance as he stood with his fists clenched at his sides, glaring at the person who held his hand down for me. I looked down at the hand for a moment before taking it, lifting up from the dirty floor as I brushed my bottom free of the brown dirt.

"Hello." The man said softly as I looked up at him through my glasses.

"Hi." I said with a sudden sneeze as I turned away quickly, taking off my glasses to rub under my eyes. "Sorry, all this dirt." I said with a sniffle, as I looked back up at the man smiling down at me. He was dressed in a very tight black shirt, nearly ripping at his chest and arms, black dress pants, and strangely no shoes. Strange man. I found his face moments later as my heart stopped beating.

" . . .Asher?" I asked quietly, swearing to God right then and there that that was Asher. His smile lightened a touch, then came back full force.

"Under My Skin is what I'm usually known by." He said with a light chuckle, as I inspected his dimpled chin and sharp warm eyes. Eyes that matched his long curled hair.

"A-Alexander?" I asked uncertainly, as my heart dropped. God, good, I can breath.

"Yes, my name is Alexander." He said, the chuckle still warm in the air. I smiled, sighing heavily.

"I thought you were someone else, I'm sorry." I said, laughing also. His smile faultered for a moment and something passed over his face I couldn't exactly place, but I'd seen it.

"It was wonderful you could make it. I'm only sorry for the terrible smell." He said, trying to hold back the laugh that I saw through his eyes and cheeks. I used the fan to give two sharp fans to my face.

"I'm sorry for the heat actually." I said amusingly, holding out my hand.

"It's good to meet you, well, kind of Mr. Alexander." I said through a half nervous smile. He looked at my hand for a moment, as he took it gengerly, I gasped inwardly as heat ran through our touching fingertips. He lifted those full pouted lips to my knuckles as he brushed them over my trembling hand. It made me flash back, seeing the rain and the wind, and . . . Asher as I was in his arms. Yes, I could even feel it.

I snapped back when Alexander suddenly let my hand go, a bewildered look on his face as he turned away.

"Well Lance, the fights are about to start, why don't you take Zowie to the bleachers?" He asked walking away. I looked at his rippling back strangely as he turned another bricked alleyway.

"What the hell was that about?" I asked, looking at up him approaching with a cocked eyebrow. He shooked his head with a sigh.

"It's going to be a long night." He said with a cough covering fist, his eyebrows raising and dropping.

"Uh-oh. Why doesn't that sound like a good notion?" He shrugged.

"I suppose it could be, but it's very unlikely it'll turn out that way."

"How so?"

"How so nothing. Your nose is red." He said smiling down at me as I crossed arms with him. I rubbed my nose with a roll of my eyes.

"Oh God, is it really?" He nodded with laughter that ran through my skin and cooled my body like a fresh breeze on a hot summer afternoon. I smiled, welcoming it.

"Brother, I am so happy you came!" Asher Alexander smiled face to face with his older Brother's frown that seemed carved in his lips.

"I've only come to this disgusting tournament that you call 'fun' to tape you back together when you get ripped apart. Again." Asher said passing Alexander in the changing room to throw a black duffle bag to the red chipped bench, as he turned back around to face his younger Brother.

"Have you still not forgiven me Brother?" Alexander asked, walking cautiously closer to his Brother's larger frame. Asher's appearance and clothes the same as himself, only the black shirt much looser, his pants much more loose also. His long black hair falling around him in long ebony waves.

The silence filled the dressing room hotly, again aloneness. Alexander bent at his Brother's legs, head bowing.

"She is here." He said quietly. "If it's any constelation."

"I can smell her." He didn't wait a second to reply.

"She is a sensitive. I can feel it, I caught a memory where I was in your arms, but it wasn't mine. Rain, wind, I looked up at you through a woman's eyes Ash." Alexander said, face raising to look up at his Brother.

"Get off of your knees Alex." As he heard these words, Alexander knew his Brother had forgiven him. He never used Alexander's nickname. Hardly even that. He tried to come closer in an attempt for a hug but Asher side-stepped him.

"No. You betrayed me, I knew what I was doing." Now a little more angry Alexander sputtered,

"When? Huh? When? When were you going to find her, much less court her? Ash, I speak to you as Flesh and Blood," He touched Asher's chest, then his own, raising his fingers to brushed the manly jaw, then to his own heart.

"Flesh of my flesh," he lifted his palm to show the silver cross that they had burned in either of their palms. "Blood of my Blood." He said, warmth flowing through his voice like rich enticing honey. As he grabbed his Brother's hand in an attempt to come as one with him, again Ash sidestepped him turning his back on his Brother. Alexander stood staring at his Brother's large back.

"You're exiling me because I wish what is best for you. You leave me in the dark, the place I fear the most. The place you fear the most also. Why hurt both of us, for the good intentions for you."

"We've gone through this."

"This is different, Asher no one is going to hurt us this time. No one." He laid a hand on his Brother's back as Asher flew forward against the wall, bracing himself on his hands as he breathed heavily staring up and over at his younger Brother, breathing heavily with frightened eyes turned from light hazel, with orange streaks.

"Don't touch me!" He said, eyes burning through his younger Brother's. It hurt Alexander so ubstructingly to see his Brother raged inside out with memories of past times. The memories clouding Asher's mind as they went down the Blood Line to his younger Brother. Alexander closed his eyes as the memories formed a frown on his mouth. He shook his head over and over as he ran over to his Brother, cradling his head on his chest.

"Brother those times are over! No one can harm us ever again! No one will ever abuse us!" The memories suddenly shut away from Alexander's mind as Asher cut him off, keeping all the memories and pictures to himself. Alexander could still smell the stink of rotten flesh, cum and blood on the tip of his tongue, even when the memories were ages ago.

"Stop this Asher, stop this. Stop tormenting yourself, please please, just stop it." Tears choked his throat tightly as he held his eyes closed, rocking his older Brother over and over until they both calmed.

"Asher please, please stop. I beg you. Please." He whimpered as his arms dropped from around his Brother's head to fall around his trimmed waist, hugging him tightly as he pleaded with Asher. He was choking with sobs as his older Brother sat staring down at him, petting his head as he forced the memories away. The pictures ceised, the smell of flesh was gone from his nostrils. The kind of scent that shouldn't exist for humans, the smell of flesh ripped apart by the joints. It smelled like old slaughtered hamburger, no one should ever have that image, not even the smell on their memories forever. He wouldn't even lend them to his worste enemies, that was too much for one person. The only reason he hadn't gone insane and shut down completely from their Pard, was because both of the shared the torment.

What would he have done without his Alexander? He would've gone insane. He would've left their Pard. Their family that they never had. They were equals in everyway, you couldn't seperate the two permanently without doing damage. It was impossible. One of them would die, one of them being the weakest. Asher would have been the weakest. Unlike his younger Brother he couldn't turn away from the memories, channel them to his benefit. No, instead he locked them away. Where they came at the worste moments to foul and shrivel him completely inside and out. Body, mind, and most of all spirit. That part of his life was gone, shrunked away in chains and filth. One that he couldn't leave behind like his Brother. He just couldn't.

A cough across the room brought Asher's attentions towards Steffano, one of their Jaguars. Alexander remained shakingly wrapped around his Brother's body as Asher patted his younger Brother's head, calming the huge feline like he were already in Cat form.

"Calm Brother, this is not the time nor place." He said quietly, leaning down to kiss the top of his Brother's head, where he lay his cheek against it. He closed his eyes, not ready to cause his Brother pain right at the moment.

"Change Alexander." He said quietly, still resting against his head, as Alexander stopped rocking.

"I order you Asher Alexander Blacksheer the Third to change, show the power of your Pard." Alexander's head lifted slowly to look up at his older Brother as his eyes bled orange and light honey suckle, his lips folding back as he snarled a K-Nine smile. Asher looked down at his younger Brother sadly.

"What a terrible fate we've become, my Brother." He lifted his scarred palm to wrap around his younger Brother's transforming scarred hand.

"Wow, this place is packed! Want some?" I offered Lance a handful of my popcorn as he took a small bit. He popped all of them into his mouth as he munched on them, turning back around to open his mouth making a strange sound; I looked into his mouth with disgust.

"And here I thought you were a British gentleman." He closed his mouth with a big smile, popping another piece from my little bag into his mouth.

"Naw, I think you thought me out all wrong." I nodded, mumbling.

"Think I did too." I said, turning back to the stadium as I giggled under my breath. The stadium was packed high up and tall, thankfully we'd gotten the bench on the very bottom, first hand view of all the action. I protested, and ended up being carried. He made up by buying me some popcorn, it sounded good for me. I watched as two large black Cats, no Jaguars were released into the pit below.

"It's strange," I said, literally entraced by the animal's heavy muscle under that black shinny fur.

"What is?" Lance didn't seem nearly as interested as I was. In fact no one did, everyone was quiet. And I expected redneck shouting? Nope.

"I never saw any animals the entire time being brought." I shrugged as I was answered with hot silence.

"They must've been here already." I mumbled, thinking of how badly that must have sucked. I wouldn't wanna stay here any longer than absolutely necessary.

"So . . . where's Alexander?" Lance glanced down at me, then back at the stadium, his eyes darting somewhere else I couldn't see over a buzzed head.

"I don't know." He said emotionlessly.

"You don't like him do you?" I said through chumps of popcorn, looking at the large animals as they paced one another in the matching dead silence. I was completely awed.

"Why do you think that?" I shrugged.

"You really don't seem like you care for him too much." I waited a moment before he answered.

"No, I like him. He's a good man, and a good leader. But, he's mischevious." I had to look at him for this one.

"Mischevious?" I said through a mouthful of popcorn. He glared at the two cats in the pin, and I couldn't understand why got so uptight about Alexander. He seemed pretty decent.

"Very mischevious." He said, lips curling back. "He likes to shake things up. Don't get me wrong he's an honorable person, but he's still a kid somewhere deep in there." I shrugged, listening to the strangely softness in his tone.

"Maybe you just don't know the whole story." I said as a large cat swatted at the other, reeling backwards.

"What do you mean, the whole story?" I oohed, and ahhed at the Jaguars as I answered him through mouthfuls of popcorn.

"People can only give you the pieces of the story they want you to know. You can think you know a person, and turn out to not know a damn thing about them. You shouldn't critize, like I said, you may not have all the pieces to the puzzle."

"Wise words for someone so young." I rolled my eyes over at him.

"You aren't too far behind Bubby Boy."

"Bubby Boy? Oh harsh babe, harsh." He said with a mischevious squint of his eyes and a reach for my disipitating popcorn as I slapped his hand away, giving him squinted sly eyes in return.

"And I am old." I nearly choked.

"You look and seem like a horny teenager in highschool." I coughed loudly, laughing hysterically at my own joke as many heads turned towards us. I looked over at Lance to see a red blush over his pale cheeks, it only made me howl louder and harder.

"By the by, why do you all say you're old? You can't be any older than 22." I said, my attention turning back towards the Cats to keep myself from sticking my tongue out at the oggling people above and beside us. Got a problem? Jesus.

"Twenty three believe it or not. And maybe, you just don't know the whole story behind us." I glared at one of the Cats imagining it to be his head.

"Immature." I mumbled.

"Naive." He mumbled back pleasantly.

"Cliche."

"Little girl."

"Horny teenager." I mumbled back, tilting my head back and fourth to mimick him.

"Fatty." I turned to gape at him as he snatched my bag of popcorn from my greedy fingers as I swatted at him, gaping.

"I can't believe you said that!" I squeeled, as we were shushed from voices ringing all over us. "Well you're a you're a . . . stripper!" I started choking with laughter, covering my eyes as I held in my breath to hopefully cease the barking from both of us. We finally ended us breathing heavily as I leaned against him, my head slanted against his shoulder. Someone started tapping on Lance's shoulder from behind us when he growled.

"We get the point you fat bugger." He said breathlessly, as I slightly turned to puff my cheeks out, desperately trying to hold back my laughter as he looked at me incrediously rolling his eyes. "The nerve." He said, a smile spreading through his lips as he looked at mine for a moment. The smile faded and his head snapped back so suddenly I jumped.

"Jesus." I said, staring at the side of his messy true-blonde hair.

"Sorry." He said without turning back to me. I shrugged with wide eyes as I slid another piece of my popcorn into my mouth. Ookay.

The Cats finally stopped circling eachother as one leaped to the other, slashing its massive clawed paw across the other's face.

"Yes!" Lance said, gripping his knees with his white hands, I glanced at his bobbing legs, then back to the stadium.

"Oh my God." I whispered as one Cat pounced on the other, sending the other on its back. It was so hard to make my eyes moving to catch up with their bouncing and springing. One of the huge black monstrocities had the other pinned to the ground on its back as it raked its claws again and again over its opponents stomach. I dropped the popcorn from my fingertips as I stared ominously, entranced at the blood pouring from its wounds as one man in a black shirt dove in and seperated the two like they were people.

The 'winner' paced back and fourth with rolling black shoulder blades as it watched the two with large orange eyes. The large eyes left the two to run through the crowd, settling on me. I felt the weight of its gaze as it stopped and stared, it lifted its head and let out a gut wrenching cry. Resembling something similiar to a dying woman. It made me close my eyes as Lance hugged me tightly.

"He won!" He said over and over. I patted his knee to cease him as he let me go suddenly, his gaze returning to the feline in the stadium. I looked at him strangely, pushing my glasses back up on my nose.

"Jesus, you have a bet on that one?" He stopped jumping, but didn't look at me. He only nodded, settling down. I shrugged and returned my gaze back to the two that were suddenly gone. "That was fast." I said amazed. Surely one man couldn't get a two hundred pound seriously injured Cat all by himself? And did he just ring the other up? Wow, these guys were good.

He looked back at me and at my popcorn, "You need more popcorn," He said, standing. I shook my head as he ran away.

"No, I'm fine." I said slowly, watching him quickly sprint away. I scratched the top of my head as I laid my hands back onto my knees, looking out through the ring to look at the other side of the crowd. "So many differnet kinds of people." I said to myself quietly, silently observing the different shapes, sizes, clothes, body language of all the excited muttering going on. I actually didn't know this would be so . . . big. It just didn't seem like that big of a deal. Illegal animal fighting? So what? For bets, I mean c'mon, it didn't seem that bad. Getting caught with a bag of weed seemed about the same sentence. Well, then again it would be abuse for the animals, so maybe not. What a strange day I was having.

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat as the sun that was setting shot rays of dark orange across my arm, making it burn. I touched it uneasily scooting closer to my left as I bumped into a rather large woman, "Oh I'm sorry." I said quietly. I just couldn't stand it anymore, I needed some sunblock. I rose from my seat, wiping away the popcorn that had found its way into my lap and down my shirt. "Damnit." I said quietly, politely excusing myself over and over as I stepped over legs and feet; finally reaching the end as I jogged to the parking lot.

"She left." Asher said to Alexander as he sat on the bench panting, Lance dapping his face with a cloth as the Pard gathered inside the small dressing room.

"She left?" Alexander asked, breathing heavily as he looked at Lance. "What're you doing here? Go back to her!" He said, pointing towards the door. Lance shrugged,

"She's a big girl Alex, she'll be alright. I only left her for a minute."

"Yeah, I noticed you're doing such a great job since you're here, and she's not in her seat. Think about where she is! She doesn't even know!" Alexander hissed as Lance touched one of his wounds across his rib, biting his lip as he looked back up at his older Brother. His eyes lightened as he looked up at him.

"Wait, Brother if you were watching her, why didn't you stop her?" Asher looked down and around the room at all the different faces talking amongst themselves.

"I figured she's a big girl, she can handle herself." Alexander suddenly laughed as the room filled with the joyous sound, closing his eyes in pain as he wracked his body with laughter, leaning back against the chipped red brick wall, still chuckling as he opened his eyes greeted with his staring older Brother. He stood tall, looking down at him with glazed eyes.

"What's wrong?" He asked slowly, the smile fading as he watched his Brother's face.

He said one word before they both rose and ran from the room.

"Wolf."

: A/N: -giggles, whiping glasses on shirt- She's so about to get ass raped. -cackles- No not really, but read on.

3 :


	10. Dead To The World 10

Dead To The World

Chapter ten:

I lay panting on the ground as I stared up at the sky, the same looking large brown and black wolf standing just a few feet away from when it first attacked, coming across my sternum and lower hip, or that's what I was feeling right now. My eyes were closed as I focused on my breathing, my cell phone lay beside the hound as it growled at my moving fingertips. I lay perfectly still, my eyes closed lightly as my stomach went numb. It unnerved me that I knew my body was broken in some way, but I couldn't feel it. This was not good.

I opened my eyes to shouting as I saw a blur of white and brown before the hound jumped back, muzzle parted to show all the teeth in that large head of his. Someone came beside me as a hand rested on top of my sweat-drenched forehead. I slowly opened them to look up at Asher.

"A-Asher?" I asked slowly, wondering if I had fallen asleep on the bench, resting beside Lance. Maybe that's why I couldn't feel my stomach. I touch it lightly with my fingertips, as I tried to bring it to my face, but he took my hand in his. I felt liquid, not good. I looked at him with wide eyes.

"W-what's happening?" I asked through gulps of air, he looked down at my stomach, pulling his hair over his shoulder as he touched my stomach. Lance showed up by his side in a blur that made me gasp, which hurt my stomach, which I felt, which made me cry. Fuck. Not good not good. My world did that 'I can move before you can even process what your name is' kind of thing, which squeezed tears from my eyes. I looked up at Asher, smiling.

"H-how come I always g-get to . . ." I gulped loudly, swallowing the large amounts of screams that filled my throat, "See you on bad t-terms?" I asked with a sweaty smile. He looked down at me from where he was inspecting my stomach, smiling I heard that Godly voice one more time.

"I don't know the answer to that Zowie." He said, smiling that dimple-chin grin that his Brother had. I closed my eyes smiling.

"It's goo-good to see you again, bastard." I said, biting my lip. Suddenly crying out as my shirt was ripped in half. Someone said, "Shit. Get her pants off!" I shot my head up glaring at the voice. "You take my pants off I take your dick off!" I growled, looking from each young and handsome face to the next. He looked at me stunned, turning back to Asher as he smiled and shrugged. I suddenly howled as my jeans rubbed against whatever was happening to my stomach. "Get them off get them off get them off!" I cried. Not only did they 'not' slide them off, but one person completely ripped them in half. Amazing. Someone leaned over my vision as a needle came into view right above my stomach. I hated needles. I grabbed Asher's hand in mine tightly, tears falling down my cheeks as the heat from the summer night slid along my exposed and bleeding stomach. Like hot water were flowing through my veins, my vision sparkled and danced with lights as I relaxed. Everyone was moving so fast? They were giving me a headache . . . but I couldn't feel anything.

Everything was so . . . high. I looked over at Asher's face as he wiped his hand across his forehead, smearing that perfect Magnolia petaled flesh with my red icky blood. I watched the look that passed between Asher and Alexander, a look that confused me. What was so bad anyways?

"You guys." I said slowly, trying to get their attention, I laughed. I laughed! "You guys!" I said, getting a couple of their attentions. "Stop okay?" I said through a goofy smile, I could even feel the goofyness of it stretching my lips into a wide grin. I looked down at myself, seeing the large gashes. Three deep bleeding slashes from above my belly button down right below my hip. But that just wasn't what I was worried about. How? I don't know.

"Oh my God, you people are seeing me naked." I looked down at my black lace bra holding my C cups, my matching black lace thong with the large black butterfly as the front, glad they couldn't see the back. "I . . . I need some clothes. I think I should go to the hospital." I said slowly, lying back down. Hands were everywhere, it was so annoying. I slapped them away giggling.

"J-just get me to a hospital!" I said through hysterical giggles. I stopped smiling all of a sudden, "I feel really good." I said slowly, not completely understanding what I'd exactly been given here. Grateful, but way curious. Lance asked it for me.

"What the fuck did you give her?" He asked, hysteria in his voice as I inspected his voice. His eyes roamed on my breasts, down the curve of my wide hips, my muscular thighs, oh Goodness, did I have my shoes on? I couldn't see. I interrupted the voice asking, "It seems as though I've lost my flip-flops." I wiggled my toes giggling up at Asher. He turned to look at my wiggling toes, his hair brushing my face as I practically purred into it. I lifted his hand rolling my cheek against it as he shivered violently, his flushed face looking back down at me. I could see him visibly struggling to keep his eyes on my face, made me giggle. Which I did.

"Yes, you have your flip-flops." He said, his eyes drifting down to look at my collar bones, I could almost feel his eyes brushing my skin with heat. I closed my eyes with the sensation. I felt the thong of my black flip-flops slipping back over my toes. I giggled with my eyes still closed. "Thank you." I said quietly, my mind drifting. And this time, I completely and utterly couldn't have cared less. I let it, in fact I encouraged it, embraced it even!

I felt a fingertip brush my collar bone, feeling the tip of a finger touch the scabbing of the growingly smaller wound. I opened my eyes, head bobbing to look over and up at Asher, who was staring at my collar bone with such interest it brought my focus back, which brought the pain back. Damnit, and I was so carefree of everything for a while. I looked up at him pleadingly.

"Ow." I said quietly, sniffling as my eyes watered from the intense stinging of my stomach. Like a swarm of wasps stinging me over and over again in the same place repeatedly. He looked from my collar bone to my face, then back to someone else I didn't care to look for right at the moment.

"It shouldn't be waring off this soon, that's impossible!"

"Fix it then." Someone's calm voice rang through my ears as I realized it was Asher. It relaxed me, it 'was' my drug. I yanked on his hand till I got his attention.

"Talk to me." I said, gasping from the pain. He looked down at me then back at Alexander. I shook his hand again crying out from someone putting gauze over my hip bone. "Talk!" I cried out. He looked down at me confusion on his face, as the realization spread through his eyes. He scooted closer towards me, lifting my head to lay in his lap. And no, I didn't care to open my eyes to watch what they were sewing so quickly down there.

He brushed his fingertips over my sweat drenched forehead, pulling my extremely long hair, out and around me so it wasn't touching my body, not bothering to pull his as it curtain both of our faces, me brave enough to open my eyes and look up at him. I listened to his deep growly baratone voice sing a song in a language, surprisingly I didn't know. It was eerie and slow, something that entraced me to look past the beautiful light hazel of his eyes and deeper in. It sucked me in like metal to a magnet. I was lost in dark, dark, dark everywhere. Surrounding me, swallowing me up. But no, no it wasn't swallowing me up. Asher was there, he . . . he wanted. No, he was angry with me, and he left me to be alone in the dark room. Why? What had I done to him to make him do something so . . . it felt so painful, why would he do this to me?

I felt arms wrap tightly around me as I turned to lock mine desperately around him. Squeezing his waist as I cried into his chest as he picked me up. Pleading for him to stop this madness. This utter torment. I was suddenly filled with fire, warm fire that left me squirming in his arms. It chased away the coldness that was creeping up my stomach. What was this? The utter feeling of ocean ice licked up at my midsection as I squeezed to him harder. "Make it go away." I whispered into the crook of his warm neck. I sucked to that warmth like it were the last piece of honest wood in a freezing ocean. "Make it go away." I cried loudly into his shoulder as the cold swallowed me up.

I felt . . . I felt fur. Fur was everywhere. Where was I? Fur ran along my sides, fur under my fingertips, it was everywhere. "Asher?" I called out, turning around and around in that cold, freezing cold dark place. I was alone, cold, with fur that wasn't allowed for me. Like some kind of . . . some kind of torment. Why couldn't I have the heat? I needed it! I tried to reach for the hot skin of animals but it was just out of my reach. Why was I so alone? Why was I so cold? I looked up above me with tears in my eyes as I saw a flicker of a flame. Small, barely none-existent. I reached for it, cooed it down to me with soft weeping and promises of fire and wood. Dry wood that I would feed to it, make it hot and burning alive again. Make it come alive with life. Warm, hot, firey life.

I cradled the flame in between my palms as I watched it grow, it grew and grew as the cold was chased away. Even the fur and the animals retreated. It chased away everything, and brought warm toe wiggling warmth. Why had I been denied this in the first place? I . . . couldn't remember what I did. All I could think about was the fire enflaming my entire body, warming me. I felt so . . . at ease. I hadn't felt this calm and comfortable ever since the day I met Elisabeth and Samantha.

Yes, I remember Lizzy and Sam taking me into their wing. It was so sad, they were the new kids and they fixed me. A long-since broken toy that they mended with their perfectness. The butterflies made me a butterfly. That thought brought the thought of my Mother. My cold and distant Mother whom I never saw and whom never cared enough to say not even one word to me. My Father . . . Oh God my Father. Why hadn't I been given not even a single moment with him? Just one joyous moment I could retreat my mind into embracing? Just one. One single moment of a Father who cared, and a Daughter who cherished. I wanted that. I wanted to know what love felt like.

I wanted to know what it felt like to be Sam and Lizzy. Married, babies, happines, love. True love. I wanted the look on my face that Samantha and Parker had daily. Why couldn't I just have a tiney morsel? No, of course not, not for Zowie. Back to my cold lifeless apartment, with that open window with the world outside of it's glass that you're not allowed to have. That dark and empty canvas with your emotions 'splashed' over it. The emotions you want, but are never allowed to feel. Never Zowie Excel. But why not? Why couldn't I have it? What made me so fucking different? I was just so, cold. I was sooo cold.

"What's happening?" I whispered to myself, wiggling my fingers as I found those hurt, too. I didn't open my eyes, afraid that would cause further pain, my attentions moving from that to the arm draped around my waist. I slowly opened one eye to look at the muscular forearm which lay casually over my hip. Pale arm, Magnolia pale. I looked behind me to follow that hand to a small, beautifully muscular arm. My eyes fell in between the pale shoulder, where it meets neck. I found closed soft honey eyes behind all that mass of eye-gaping thick hair.

A body shifted to my left, making my head slowly, cautiously turn to look at the other body. It was so close to mine and I didn't even notice? I let my eyes roam from where the white sheets covered up to his calves, he wore blue-jeans that were unzipped and unbuttoned; pulling decoratively down his hips. He looked like a painting, both of them. It looked like they'd been positioned this way and were only paintings. It was so beautiful. He cradled himself with that larger Magnolia arm which flexed every so often when he fussed in his sleep.

I watched the rise and fall of that thick chest, thinking again of the Roman breast plates. He had a soft, long neck like Alexander. It was just strange how his body was so built yet his face was only touched about certain places muscular. I let my eyes drop because I wasn't ready to look at his face, not yet. He had no hair on his upper body, all except for the small trail of honest black running from his navel into his jeans where I lost site. I could've gone down to look, but didn't really care to. A blush ran along my cheeks as I darted my eyes from that wonderful masculinity of art as I found that God chin.

It didn't have the noticeable dimple as when he smiled, but it was there soft and knowingly dotted on that soft chin. He had a soft jaw line, but hard to the touch. A small shadow of a stubble on his chin and a little on his cheeks, it made me smile as I bit my lip to shut up before I got caught. Oh God all of that hair, he looked like he weren't real. Models didn't even get this affect, where they looked cold and strictly beautiful. They were soft and warm, not sexual like the photos were but inviting and something just . . . alive and warm. That hair spread around him in endless waves of ebony. Waves upon waves of ebony that curtained that soft body that he must have worked so hard to get.

I had to look away before I squeeled for no reason, as I found myself. I had a sheet wrapped around me and only me, like it were a towel and that was it. I felt something soft and taped under my fingertips as my cheeks flaired to life. I could not help what I was about to do. I tried to sit up but was greeted by my waking stomach, I forgot about the pain, distracted by their beauty. Good one Zow. I touched my stomach as if that would somehow relieve the pain, to no avail it only hurt more.

Thick arms wrapped around my waist as the two sat up, pulling me back down I shook my head.

"No no no, I'm naked. No no." I said over and over as they shushed me.

"If you move too quickly you will rip it open, again. If I might add." Alexander said as I glared at him. I looked over at Asher as he rested on one arm, pushing himself up as all that hair layed limply in his forgotten spot against the bed. Looking down at me with matching Hazel eyes as Alexander. I looked into those eyes and they made me lay back down. I couldn't stare into those things any longer as I shut my eyes, the pain more than joyous to take my mind of off the two men beside me and my current nude state. I breathed heavily as I turned my head to Asher's side, pressing it down into the matress to maybe relieve some of the spine splitting pain.

"Let me look at it." Alexander said softly, pulling some of my hair from my neck and from around the sheets. I shook my head, "No clothes." My teeth chattered from the wracking of my stomach. I prayed to God for him to settle me, it was hurting so bad.

"It's okay, I've seen naked bodies before." I shook my head as his hand laid itself just above my stomach on my abbs. I panted looking up at Asher's eyes, how stupid. I swam in those on-fire honey eyes, begging to get out.

"Zowie, please. Let us look at it, we can relieve the pain if you let us." I shook my head as he lifted his hand brushing my cheeks. "We will only look at the parts of your body we absolutely have to. If not, then I bet you'll get the best damned attourney on the lot of us in minutes." I opened my eyes smiling.

"Bastard." I said as I looked at that smile, I counted those straight white teeth so I wouldn't have to look into his eyes.

"Please Zowie, I swear to you we will take care of you. Please Zowie." He said softly, over and over again as I finally turned to look into his eyes. This time I wasn't sucked in, all I saw were beautiful male brown eyes. I nodded slowly, wondering how he could do that.

The sheets made a small opening only around my stomach, I felt cool air part between the bottom of my large breasts, but other than that nothing opened. I closed my eyes as fingertips touched the tape that held the gauze down.

"Look at me, pet." I opened my eyes slowly, really only looking up at him through both of our waterfall of black hair because he called me 'pet'. . . and because it sounded so, right.

"Good girl." He said, his index and middle finger brushing my cheek as the tape was pulled away. It didn't hurt like I knew it was supposed to hurt, I didn't question how or what Asher was doing to me, so I left it alone. It felt like someone was slowly ripping off a band-aid, way way too slow. But I didn't ask him to speed it up, I wanted to hide from the pain as long as I could. I let my eyes roam behind Asher because the feeling of being tranced scared me, glancing at the clock on the side of the bed I gasped. I tried to sit up as I said.

"Oh my God I've got to go to work! I'm so late!" I closed my eyes as thankfully four hands pushed me back down. The white-hot flair of pain I couldn't begin to explain exploded throughout me like a bomb. It made me scream as I gripped the sheets, the door ahead of us opened as Lance came in rubbing his eyes and sleep-tousled hair.

"Is she alright?" He asked, quickly walking over to stand at the end of the bed looking down at the lot of us.

"Oh God oh God oh God." I whispered over and over again as the tape was more quickly removed.

"Well, she didn't rip the stitches but she's bleeding again." He said, turning back to look at Lance. "I need some more gauze and tape, get some aspirins also." With that Lance turned quickly, closing the door softly behind him. I looked over and up at Asher appologizing.

"I've got to go to work." I said slowly, finding Alexander's free hand as I gripped it tightly in my smaller one. He hugged to my hand in return as he worked with the gauze.

"You're going to go into work like this?" He asked, eyes looking down at my smaller body. I breathed hard trying to calculate everything, slowly shaking my head I whispered no.

"We'll get someone to take your place." He said, smiling down at me. I looked up at him through pain filled eyes. Glad I couldn't see what I looked like right now.

"Get someone? You can't, that's my job, you can't just ask someone to do it for me."

"Why not? You do it all the time, don't you?" I opened my mouth to say something, then closed it. True.

"We'll find someone." He said softly, laying back down cautiously on his right side to look at me. He lifted his arm, placing it slowly over the top of my chest and shoulders, rubbing his forehead against the ball of the shoulder that faced him.

"How do you guys even know eachother?" I asked, swallowing as I closed my eyes. Gripping Alexander's hand tighter. There was silence than a soft chuckle I realized were the both of them.

"We're Brothers." I couldn't tell which one said it, making me believe it in a heartbeat. I smiled lopsidedly looking down at my small frame shake with pain as Alexander dabbed the gauze around the wound, trying to soak up the blood.

"The Magnolia Twins, huh." I said, amusingly to myself. Asher quarked an eyebrow at me as he smiled sideways.

"The Magnolia twins?" He asked. I nodded.

"It's because of your skin, and because you look like twins."

"She's rythming." Alexander said from below us, I giggled softly.

"I remember weeks ago you told me you liked my skin in a daze, I thought you were hallucinating a tad." I rolled my eyes.

"Anyone would say that, I was j-just in a state that made me say it out loud." I probed rememberingly.

"Why were you naked, by the way? I remember it, you had no clothes on. What were you even doing out there?" There was thick silence between the two of them that was hard enough to walk on before Asher finally asked.

"What were you doing out there?"

"I work."

"What kind of a career keeps you out untill the early of morning?"

"I'm a bartender." I said, gritting my teeth. Anything to distract me of the lessening pain. "Don't change the subject." I said, smiling up at him. He shrugged a shrug that left my eyes staring at him shoulders, watching the movement perplexed by the grace of it.

"I suppose . . ." He said drawingly, making me swim in the deep sudden richness of his voice. "I was out for a stroll." I found my voice small and wavery.

"In the middle of the night? Naked?" I closed my eyes forcing myself to step away from that trance I'd fallen into again. This time when he shrugged I watched Alexander.

"She's too stubborn to get rolled Brother, give it up." Alexander said as he kneeled over me, gently dabbing continuously on my hip. A gentleness to his touch that made me wonder if he'd done this before, and how many times?

"Rolled?" I asked, watching his movements with awe struck eyes.

"You say that as you are attempting."

"I'm only peeking why it isn't working with her, problem?"

"No." Came the sharp reply of Asher to my left, my hand slid down my side as I took Alexander's hand in mine, blood smearing from his hand to mine. He looked at me through large almond eyes, kneeling closer to my stomach as I held both his hands. His eyes rolled up to look past me at Asher.

"Sure?" He asked, a smile tugging from his lips from what I could see at this angle. Silence was heard from my side, but Asher must have done something agreeing because Alexander smiled, not bothering to hold his hair as his tongue darted out to touch my wound. I gasped, letting go of one of his hands to grip Asher's. His tongue was slick and cool, warming me and my pain to a dull throb. I gasped and even squirmed as I felt the sheet part to show a large sum of my cleavage in between, not giving away the whole show, but parting enough down the line to give Alexander a pretty good shot of my right hip, thigh, and whole leg.

A growl was low and sickly loud to make me turn towards Asher, until I felt Alexander's lips against my waist and that was too much. I cried out softly as I wrung the sheets in hand, toes curling into the comforters below us making me blush. Asher looked down at me as he suddenly pulled my hair from my neck. Placing a soft kiss against the tender flesh there to cause me to shudder.

His lips worked at the soft area, licking it gently as I gripped his other hand in a death vice. Squeezing my eyes closed from the mix of pure delight and numbing pain. His teeth found the edge of my skin as I slowly bowed my back. His other hand gripped around my neck, holding it tightly as I let my head fall back against the pillows. The feel of his pressing my neck hard against his mouth as he scraped his teeth against it made me whimper into the suddenly throbbing room. I found my whimpering pathetic voice seconds later.

"S-stop." I whimpered through something that could have been mistaken for a breath, but they both stopped at once.

"Stop?" I heard their echoing voices, Alexander lips idly pressed against my the soft part of the dip in my hip. Asher's lips parted still against my neck as if he were going to take a bite, but those full lips were against my flesh. Oh Dear.

"S-stop." I said softly, wiggling away from both of their touches at once. My hard melodiac breathing was the only sound in the room.

"Did you not like it?" Alexander asked bewildered below me. I nodded, slowly. Remembering the feel of both their lips against my quivering flesh made me gasp, gripping their hands tighter. They took that as a go when I found both their tongues the same time. I whimpered loudly, helplessly under them.

"No." I said quietly lifting my hips to push at Alexander's face, closing the small gap between my shoulder and neck by placing my head there as I looked up at him through glazed eyes.

"But you like it." He said softly, those eyes looking somehow shades lighter than they normally were. His tongue found my ear where he tugged on my small metal stud, biting it with his teeth as he breathed hotly against my cheek. I whimpered, again under him. I nodded slowly, awkwardly while trying to cover my neck at once.

"Then why stop?" He asked, eyes lingering down my body where Alexander bent over my hip, staring at the flesh there too.

"Because I don't know you." I said softly, slowly as if telling myself that too. It brought both Alexander and Asher's attentions away from my exposed body, their faces mirroring eachother.

"We know you." Alexander said, eyes looking at me as if I were crazy, I shook my head looking down at him.

"I saw you once before," I said inclining my head towards Asher. "And you've only bought one of my paintings, once." I said, looking at the door as it opened with Lance.

"Painting?" Asher asked, looking from me through that gorgeous fall of black hair, then to his Brother whom was turning his attentions away from the both of us.

"Yeah, he bought my painting a couple of days ago on Ebay. A piece of crap really." I said, my breath still shallow and soft, dazed as I watched Lance hand the small medical supplies over to Alexander.

"Did you, now Brother?" Asher's voice was still hot on my ear as he leaned over me inticingly. Alexander glaced at him, while he slowly parted the sheets again, nodding. I looked at him strangely, what was with the attitude, it seemed as if he were ashamed.

"It wasn't expensive or anything. I mean, it really wasn't anything." I said, trying to protect Alexander. I didn't understand why everyone was so mean towards Alexander, he seemed like a good guy from what I knew of him, I liked him enough to protect him.

"Asher it's fine. Why is everyone so mean towards him anyways? What'd he do?" I asked, shifting as I winced to sit up. Alexander grabbed my shoulders steadying me as I touched my stomach sighing heavily. "Wow." I felt two more hands on my back sitting me up. I glanced up to find Lance watching with interest.

"He hasn't done anything wrong, right Alex?" Lance asked with folded arms and a curve to his hip that lead to a smirk of his lips. I rolled my eyes.

"You guys are like little girls in High School. You're like wild cats towards eachother."

"You barely know us, remember?" Alexander said with a smirk.

"You're right, but from what I have seen I can tell you that much." With a bounce to the straightening of my back I said, "And yes you are right. I don't know you. So, if you can please help me out of bed, find me some clothes, and get me out of where I am. I will make sure and never come to your little zoo parties ever again." With that I slowly eased from the bed, taking the hands that Lance was offering. We both lifted our chins smartly as he practically carried me.

"I'm sure Lance won't try anything on an injured helpless woman." I said, "Isn't that right Lancey Boy." He nodded with a grin. I didn't look but more heard double snorts from the bed.

"Of course not." And with that he lead me from the room, slamming the door behind him.


End file.
